UC-NRLF 


224    410 


THE  CAPITOL  EDITION 


GIFT  OF 


THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 

ITS  ARCHITECTURE 
ART   AND   HISTORY 


BY 


GEORGE    C.    HAZELTON,    JR. 

AUTHOR  OF  "MISTRESS  WELL,"  ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED 


"Ah,  to  build,  to  build! 
That  is  the  noblest  art  of  all  the  arts." 


Longfe'lou's  ^Michael  Angela? 


NEW   YORK 

J.  F.  TAYLOR  &  COMPANY 

IQ06 


COPYRIGHT,  1897,  BY 
GEORGE  C.  HAZELTON,  JR. 

AND 

HOWARD    F.  KENNEDY 


COPYRIGHT,  1902,  BY 

J.  F.  TAYLOR  &  COMPANY, 

NEW  YORK 


Published  January, 


PREFACE 


IN  presenting  this  book  to  the  public,  it  is  deemed  just  to  say  that  the  idea 
of  writing  a  history  of  the  Capitol  was  first  urged  upon  the  author  by  Captain 
Howard  F.  Kennedy,  and  that,  in  the  preparation  of  the  work,  he  has  collabo- 
rated by  furnishing  facts  and  data  collected  by  him  during  his  long  associ- 
ation with  the  building,  and  embraced  in  his  lecture,  familiar  to  tourists  and 
many  others. 

This  production  is  submitted  to  the  public  with  the  hope  that  it  may 
merit  a  generous  welcome  at  their  hands.  If  it  fails  to  enlarge  the  scope  of 
information  already  accumulated  by  other  writers,  or  to  awaken  in  the  minds 
and  hearts  of  the  people  greater  interest  and  pride  in  their  Capitol — the  great 
forum  of  the  law-making  power  of  the  government — such  a  result  cannot  be 
attributed  to  a  want  of  careful  research  or  long-continued  faithful  labor. 

To  the  student  and  lover  of  architecture,  it  is  hoped  that  these  pages  may 
light  the  way  the  builders  took  from  the  first  foundation  stone  to  the  last 
and  crowning  piece  upon  the  dome ;  to  the  lover  of  art  and  to  the  student  of 
history,  oratory  and  statesmanship,  that  they  may  serve  as  a  key  of  intelli- 
gence by  which  to  read  the  story  of  the  nation  upon  the  walls  of  her  classic 
edifice,  and  to  unravel  its  mysteries  and  reveal  its  hidden  glories.  But, 
above  all,  it  is  most  desired  that  the  volume  shall  present  a  somewhat  com- 
prehensive view  of  the  grandeur  of  the  National  Capitol  and  its  true  charac- 
ter as  an  expression  of  the  development  of  free  government  and  the  progress 
of  American  civilization. 

Manuscript  correspondence  between  the  early  Presidents,  Commissioners, 
architects  and  contractors,  in  the  archives  of  the  War  Department,  plans  in 
the  Architect's  office  and  files  of  old  newspapers  in  the  Library  of  Congress, 
have  been  examined  by  the  author,  and  are  the  authority  for  much  of  the 
text ;  Annals,  Globes,  Records,  Secret  Journals,  American  State  Papers,  and 
manuscript  letters  also  in  the  possession  of  the  government  and  of  individuals 
have  been  assiduously  sought  and  read.  An  effort  has  been  made  to  tell  the 
story  of  the  Capitol,  its  architecture  and  art,  so  far  as  possible,  through  the 
light  of  historical  events  and  individual  biography,  as  more  likely  to  reveal 
correctly  the  human  side  of  the  great  national  structure ;  and  if  the  author  has 
allowed  a  little  moss  to  cling  to  the  old  stones,  it  is  because  he  believes  that 
in  romance  and  tradition  much  of  their  most  delightful  truth  lies  hidden. 

G.  C.  H.,  JR. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  1897. 


CONTENTS 

•  PA-GE 

CITY  OF  WASHINGTON i 

EARLY  PLANS  AND  ARCHITECTS 14 

ORIGINAL  CORNER-STONE 22 

OLD  CAPITOL 25 

BURNING  OK  THE  CAPITOL.  1814 33 

RE-ASSEMBLING  OF  CONGRESS 38 

THE  REBUILDING  OF  THE  CAPITOL 41 

MARBLE  EXTENSIONS 51 

THE  DOME 60 

THE  TERRACE 67 

THE  CAMPUS 74 

EASTERN  APPROACH i        ...  86 

THE  ROTUNDA 94 

THE  CONGRESSIONAL  LIBRARY. 134 

SUPREME  COURT  CHAMBER 140 

SENATE  WING 157 

GROUND  FLOOR 182 

HOUSE  WING 194 

STATUARY  HALL 218 

LATTER-DAY  HAPPENINGS 238 

MISCELLANEOUS 249 

APPENDIX 263 

INDEX 299 


THE    NATIONAL    CAPITOL 


CITY  OF   WASHINGTON 

In  fancy  now,  beneath  the  twilight  gloom, 
Come,  let  me  lead  thee  o'er  this  "  second  Rome  ! " 
Where  tribunes  rule,  where  dusky  Davi  bow, 
And  what  was  Goose-Creek  once  is  Tiber  now  : — 
This  embrio  capital,  where  Fancy  sees 
Squares  in  morasses,  obelisks  in  trees  ; 
Which  second-sighted  seers,  e'en  now,  adorn 
With  shrines  unbuilt  and  heroes  yet  unborn, 
Though  naught  but  woods  and  Jefferson  they  see, 
Where  streets  should  run  and  sages  ought  to  be. 

TOM  MOORE. 

IN  the  old  days  all  roads  led  to  Rome  :  to-day  all  roads  lead  to  Washing- 
ton. The  eyes  of  the  world  are  upon  her  great  Capitol :  the  poor  look  to  it 
as  the  bulwark  of  liberty  and  prosperity;  the  rich  for  protection  of  vested 
rights;  the  savage  for  learning  and  assistance;  the  jurist  for  law;  the  politi- 
cian as  the  goal  of  his  ambition;  the  statesman  for  the  science  of  progressive 
government;  the  diplomat  as  the  place  wherein  to  play  the  game  of  nations; 
and  the  sovereigns  of  Europe  in  apprehension,  for  on  its  walls  is  written  in 
blood  :  "  The  divine  right  of  kings  is  the  divine  right  of  the  people."  It  is 
the  abode  of  the  Goddess  of  Freedom  in  the  New  World. 

No  matter  from  which  direction  the  pilgrim  approaches  the  Federal  City, 
whether  by  land  or  by  water,  the  white  dome  of  the  National  Capitol,  that 
shrine  of  the  world's  oppressed,  is  almost  the  first  sight  to  gladden  his  eye. 

We  have  but  to  glance  at  the  map  of  the  globe,  to  see  that  Babylon, 
Nineveh,  Tyre,  Carthage,  Constantinople,  Venice,  St.  Petersburg,  London, 
Paris,  New  York,  Chicago  and  most  of  the  other  great  cities  of  ancient  and 
modern  times  have  sprung  up  upon  the  low  lands  near  the  sea,  or  upon  so-n  * 
of  its  great  tributaries,  where  they  have  been  nourished  by  commerce.  Wash- 
ington, too,  stretches  back  from  the  banks  of  a  great  tributary,  but  it  was  not, 
like  most  of  these,  chance-directed  in  its  line  of  growth,  though  the  original 
intention  of  the  President,  the  Commissioners  and  the  engineers  has  in  part 


2     '•-"-'.*'•  >  The -'National  Capitol 

miscarried.  Nor  was  it,  like  others,  planned  by  some  potentate  for  his  own 
delectation  and  power.  It  is  the  only  city  designed  for  the  capital  of  a 
nation  which  has  been  projected  practically  in  a  wilderness  in  accordance 
with  pre-arranged  plans  dictated  by  the  will  of  the  people  themselves  through 
their  representatives. 

Even  before  the  Constitution  was  adopted,  in  1785,  a  commission  had 
been  appointed  by  Congress  with  power  to  select  upon  the  Delaware  a  site 
for  a  national  capital,  and  to  make  contracts  for  the  erection  of  a  suitable 
President's  house,  houses  for  the  Secretaries  and  a  Federal  House;  but  this 
commission  had  taken  no  action. 

The  District  of  Columbia  was  established  under  the  8th  Section  and 
ist  Article  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States:  "  Congress  shall  have 
power  to  exercise  exclusive  legislation  in  all  cases  whatsoever,  over  such  dis- 
trict (not  exceeding  ten  miles  square)  as  may,  by  cession  of  particular  States, 
and  the  acceptance  of  Congress,  become  the  seat  of  the  government  of  the 
United  States."  In  pursuance  of  this  provision,  the  State  of  Maryland  passed, 
December  23,  1788,  "  An  act  to  cede  to  Congress  a  District  of  ten  miles  square 
in  this  State,  for  the  Seat  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States."  The  State 
of  Virginia  patriotically  followed,  December  3,  1789,  with  "  An  act  for  the 
cession  of  ten  miles  square,  or  any  lesser  quantity  of  territory  within  this 
State  to  the  United  States  in  Congress  assembled,  for  the  permanent  seat  of 
the  General  Government." 

The  final  step  was  taken  on  the  i6th  of  July,  1790,  when  Preside'nt  Wash- 
ington, then  in  his  first  term  of  office,  signed  the  Senate  bill  establishing  the 
future  seat  of  government  upon  the  banks  of  the  Potomac.  Yet  even  this  act 
left  indefinite  the  location  of  the  District,  save  that  it  must  be  between  the 
mouths  of  the  Eastern  Branch  and  the  Connogochegue.  The  President  was 
to  appoint  three  Commissioners,  who,  under  his  direction,  were  to  survey,  and, 
by  proper  metes  and  bounds,  define  and  limit  the  required  territory.  These 
Commissioners,  or  any  two  of  them,  were  given  power  also  to  purchase  or 
accept  such  quantity  of  land  as  the  President  thought  proper  for  the  use  of 
the  United  States,  and  were  to  provide  "  suitable  buildings  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  Congress,  and  of  the  President,  and  for  the  public  offices  of  the 
government  "  prior  to  the  first  Monday  in  December,  1800-;  but  all  according 
to  such  plans  as  the  President  should  approve.  The  only  substantial  limi- 
tation made  by  the  law  was  that  the  sites  for  the  public  buildings  should  be 
upon  the  eastern  or  Maryland  side  of  the  river.  To  defray  the  expenses  of 
such  purchases  and  buildings,  the  President  was  "  authorized  and  requested 
to  accept  grants  of  money."  On  the  above  date,  the  seat  of  government  and 
all  its  offices  were  to  be  removed  to  the  new  District.  Meanwhile,  they  were 
to  remain  in  New  York  until  December,  1790,  after  which  they  were  to  be 
located  in  Philadelphia. 


The  National  Capitol  3 

This  action  of  Congress  was  the  culmination  of  a  long  and  acrimonious 
debate  springing  from  State  jealousy  and  personal  feeling,  in  which  the  inter- 
ests of  New  York  and  Germantown  were  vigorously  presented,  together  with 
locations  upon  the  Susquehanna  and  the  Delaware.  The  meager  reports  of  the 
prolonged  contest  in  the  early  annals  of  Congress  are  interesting  and  instruc- 
tive, revealing,  as  they  do,  the  primitive  condition  of  the  country  at  that 
time,  the  bitter  sectionalism  which  prevailed,  and  the  ignorance  of  the  best 
minds  regarding  the  topography  of  the  States,  together  with  their  inability 
to  anticipate  the  facilities  for  quick  communication,  tiansportation  and  com- 
merce in  store  for  the  infant  Republic.  Madison,  Ames,  Sherman,  Lee  and 
others  were  active  in  debate.  Mr.  Burke  "  thought  a  populous  city  better 
than  building  a  palace  in  the  woods";  while  Mr.  George  Thatcher,  the 
witty  and  learned  representative  from  Massachusetts,  exclaimed,  with  some 
degree  of  impatience  at  the  debate,  that  "  it  was  not  of  two  paper  dollars' 
consequence  to  the  United  States  whether  Congress  sat  at  New  York,  at  Phila- 
delphia, or  on  the  Potomac." 

Jefferson  in  his  ana  records  a  bit  of  inside  history  regarding  the  final  settle- 
ment of  the  controversy  by  Congress  in  favor  of  the  Potomac,  and  only  the 
growth  of  the  city  and  its  grandeur  to-day  compensate  for  the  somewhat 
doubtful  means  by  which,  according  to  his  record,  that  end  was  secured.  To 
aid  Alexander  Hamilton  in  his  pet  hobby,  a  bill  for  the  assumption  by  the 
general  government  of  the  debts  contracted  by  the  various  States  during  the 
Revolution,  amounting  to  $20,000,000,  he  invited  certain  Congressmen  to 
dine.  The  host  does  not  record  whether  it  was  before  or  after  the  wine  that 
the  compromise  was  reached,  but  certain  it  is  that  at  that  feast  votes  for  the 
assumption  of  the  State  debts  were  pledged  by  Representatives  of  the  Southern 
States  in  exchange  for  votes  from  the  Eastern,  or  creditor  States,  to  establish 
the  seat  of  government  permanently  upon  the  banks  of  the  Potomac. 

The  influence  of  the  President  also  had  been  a  powerful  factor  in  favor 
of  the  Potomac ;  and,  though  empowered  with  discretion  to  select  any  site 
within  one  hundred  and  five  miles  of  the  river's  windings,  beginning  at 
"Williamsport,  seven  miles  above  Hagerstown  in  Maryland,  all  must  agree  with 
Mr.  Spofford,  the  Librarian,  that  "  Washington,  with  that  consummate  judg- 
ment which  distinguished  his  career,  fixed  upon  just  the  one  spot  in  the  entire 
range  of  the  territory  prescribed  by  Congress  which  commanded  the  three- 
fold advantages  of  unfailing  tide-water  navigation,  convenient  access  from 
Baltimore  and  the  othef  large  cities  northward,  and  superb  natural  sites,  alike 
for  public  buildings  and  for  the  varied  wants  of  a  populous  city." 

Almost  immediately,  the  President  appointed  Thomas  Johnson  and  Daniel 
Carroll  of  Maryland  and  David  Stuart  of  Virginia  as  Commissioners;  and, 
no  doubt,  gave  specific  directions  for  surveying  and  laying  off  the  tract  of 
land  for  the  seat  of  government,  as  he  was  more  familiar  with  the  region  than 


4  The  National  Capitol 

most  of  his  contemporaries.  The  first  survey  above  tide-water  on  the  Poto- 
mac had  been  made  by  himself,  with  a  party  of  friends,  in  a  "  piroque,"  or 
canoe,  described  by  G.  W.  P.  Custis  as  "  hollowed  out  of  a  great  poplar  tree, 
hauled  on  a  wagon  to  the  bank  of  the  Monocacy,  and  there  launched. ' ' 

Wise,  however,  as  he  was  in  the  choice  of  the  site,  it  is  noticeable  that 
Washington  selected  it  as  near  as  possible,  under  the  act,  to  his  own  home  at 
Mount  Vernon;  and  in  the  amendment  of  March  3,  1791,  his  hand  can  be 
plainly  seen.  This,  while  it  still  limited  the  erection  of  -he  public  build- 
ings to  the  Maryland  side  of  the  Potomac,  allowed  a  portion  of  the  district 
to  be  located  below  the  Eastern  Branch  and  above  the  mouth  of  Hunting 
Creek,  so  as  to  include  a  convenient  part  of  the  Branch  and  the  town  of 
Alexandria. 

The  greaf  man  watched  with  anxiety  over  the  founding  of  the  Federal 
City,  which  was  to  bear  his  name,  and  with  eagerness  hastened  the  erection  of 
its  government  buildings,  as  if  with  them  to  anchor  public  interest  to  the 
spot  on  which  his  hopes  raised  a  city  whose  destiny  was  to  be  kindred  to  the 
growth  and  grandeur  of  a  nation  of  the  people.  Himself  a  Federalist,  he 
doubtless  foresaw  as  well,  in  this  one  Capitol,  an  ultimate  recognition  of 
Federal  supremacy,  and,  in  a  perfect  union,  respectful  alike  to  State  and 
nation,  a  government  strong  enough  to  protect  itself  and  its  every  citizen. 

Perhaps  no  greater  obstacle  opposed  the  path  of  President  Washington  than 
the  old  Scotch  proprietor,  David  Burns,  who  owned  a  tract  of  six  hundred 
and  fifty  acres  in  the  heart  of  the  proposed  city.  He  refused  to  part  with 
his  plantation,  which  was  known  as  the  "  Widow's  Mite,"  upon  any  terms. 
To  Washington's  most  patriotic  appeals  he  is  said  to  have  irritably  replied : 
"  If  it  had  not  been  for  the  Widow  Custis  and  her  niggers,  you  would  never 
have  been  anything  but  a  land  surveyor,  and  a  very  poor  surveyor  at  that." 
He  was  compelled,  in  the  end,  however,  to  yield  to  the  public  interest.  On 
March  30,  1791,  nineteen  of  the  principal  proprietors  signed  the  agreement, 
which  was  accepted  by  the  Commissioners  on  the  i2th  of  the  next  month  : 

"  To  convey  in  trust  *  to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  or  Commissioners,  or  to 
such  person  or  persons  as  he  shall  appoint,  by  good  and  sufficient  deeds  in  fee  simple,  the 
whole  of  our  respective  lands  which  he  may  think  proper  to  include  within  the  lines  of 
the  federal  city,  for  the  purposes  and  on  the  conditions  following  :  The  President  shall  have 
the  sole  power  of  directing  the  federal  city  to  be  laid  off  in  what  manner  he  pleases.  He  may 
retain  any  number  of  public  squares  he  may  think  proper  for  public  improvements  or  other 
public  uses  ;  and  lots  only  which  shall  be  laid  off  shall  be  a  joint  property  between  the 
trustees  on  behalf  of  the  public  and  each  present  proprietor,  and  the  same  shall  be  fairly 
and  equally  defined  between  the  public  and  the  individuals.  As  soon  as  may  be  the  site 

*  The  several  trustees  v  named  in  the  deeds,  dated  on  or  about  June,  1791,  were 
"  Thomas  Beall,  of  George,  and  John  M.  Gantt,  and  the  survivor  of  them,  and  the  heirs 
of  such  survivor." 


WASHINGTON 
By  Rembrandt  Pealt 


The  National  Capitol  7 

shall  be  laid  off.  For  the  streets  the  proprietors  shall  receive  no  compensation,  but  for  the 
squares  or  lands  in  any  form  which  shall  be  taken  for  public  buildings  or  any  kind  of 
public  improvements  or  uses  the  proprietors  whose  lands  shall  be  taken  shall  receive  at  the 
rate  of  £25  per  acre  to  be  paid  by  the  public." 

Peter  Charles  L'Enfant,  a  civil  engineer  who  came  to  this  country 
about  1777,  was  employed  by  President  Washington's  direction  to  prepare 
plans  for  the  proposed  city.  He  had  become  a  major  in  the  Engineer  Corps 
during  the  war  for  Independence,  and  later  had  followed  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment successively  from  New  York  to  Philadelphia,  and  thence  to  Washing- 
ton. L'Enfant  carefully  "  viewed  the  ground  on  horse-back  "  with  the  Presi- 
dent and  Commissioners,  and  in  a  report  handed  personally  to  Washington  in 
Georgetown  on  the  26th  of  March,  1791,  enthusiastically  indorsed,  in  some- 
what Franco-English,  the  location  as  a  site  for  the  capital  of  a  "  mighty 
empire  "  : 

"  After  coming  upon  the  hill  from  the  Eastern  Branch  ferry  the  country  is  level  and  on 
a  space  of  above  two  miles  each  way  present  a  most  eligible  position  for  the  first  settlement 
of  a  great  city  and  one  which  if  not  the  only  within  the  limits  of  the  Federal  Territory  is  at 
least  the  more  advantageous  in  that  part  laying  between  the  eastern  branch  and  Georgetown. 

"...  On  that  part  terminating  in  a  ridge  to  Jenkin's  Hill  and  running  in  a  parallel 
with  and  at  half  mile  off  from  the  river  Potowmack  separated  by  a  low  ground  intersected 
with  three  grand  streams, — many  of  the  most  desirable  position  offer  for  to  errect  the  pub- 
liques  edifices  thereon — from  these  height  every  grand  building  would  rear  with  a  majestick 
aspect  over  the  country  all  round  and  might  be  advatageously  seen  from  twenty  miles  off 
which  contigous  to  the  first  settlement  of  the  city  they  would  there  stand  to  ages  in  a  .central 
point  to  it,  facing  on  the  grandest  prospect  of  both  of  the  branch  of  the  Potowmack  with  the 
town  of  Alexandry  in  front  seen  in  its  fullest  extant  over  many  points  of  land  projecting 
from  the  Mariland  and  Virginia  shore  in  a  maner  as  add  much  to  the  prospective  at  the 
end  of  which  the  cape  of  great  hunting  creek  appear  directly  were  a  corner  stone  of  the 
Federal  district  is  to  be  placed  and  in  the  room  of  which  a  mejstick  colum  or  a  grand 
Pyramid  being  erected  would  produce  the  happyest  effect  and  completely  finished  the  land- 
skape.  .  .  . 

"  Then  the  attractive  local  will  lay  all  Round  and  at  distance  not  beyond  those  limits 
within  the  which  a  city  the  capital  of  an  extensive  empire  may  be  delineated." 

The  corner-stone  of  the  Federal  District,  spoken  of  by  L'Enfant,  was  laid 
by  the  Commissioners  with  appropriate  ceremonies  on  the  i5th  day  of  April 
at  Hunter's  Point,  just  south  of  Alexandria.  In  the  following  month,  Truin- 
bull,  the  artist,  visited  Georgetown,  where  he  found  the  Frenchman  busy  with 
his  plans  ;  and  together  they  rode  over  the  ground  on  which  the  city  has  since 
been  built.  "  Where  the  Capitol  now  stands  was  then  a  thick  wood."  Jef- 
ferson had  furnished  L'Enfant  with  maps  of  many  foreign  cities,  which  he 
had  collected  in  travel.  The  engineer's  mind,  however,  dwelt  more  fondly 
on  the  work  of  Le  N6tre  in  dearly  beloved  France,  and  drawing  his  principal 


8  The  National  Capitol 

inspiration  from  Versailles,  a  city  remarkable  for  the  regularity  and  beauty 
of  its  construction,  for  its  three  grand  avenues  of  Paris,  St.  Cloud  and  Sceaux, 
diverging  from  the  Place  du  Chateau,  and  for  its  magnificent  palace  and 
gardens  designed  by  Louis  XIV.  for  himself  and  his  court,  he  furnished  plans 
for  the  broad  avenues,  vistas,  streets  and  parkings  which  to-day  make  Wash- 
ington the  admiration  of  visitors,  and,  in  truth,  "The  City  of  Magnificent 
Distances." 

The  site  selected  for  the  Capitol,  which  is  called  "  Congress  house  "  by 
the  French  surveyor  in  his  original  map,  was  upon  the  Cern  Abby  Manor, 
owned  by  Daniel  Carroll.  This  map  gives  the  latitude  of  Congress  House  as 
38°  53'  N.,  and  the  longitude  as  o°  o'.*  In  his  observations,  placed  upon  his 
manuscript  map  by  L'Enfant  himself,  is  the  following  paragraph:  "  In  order 
to  execute  the  above  plan,  Mr.  Ellicott  drew  a  true  meridional  line  by  celes- 
tial observations  which  passes  through  the  area  intended  for  the  Congress  house ; 
this  line  he  crossed  by  another  due  East  and  West,  which  passes  through  the 
same  area.  These  lines  were  accurately  measured,  and  made  the  basis  on 
which  the  whole  plan  was  executed.  He  ran  all  the  lines  by  a  Transit  Instru- 
ment, and  determined  the  acute  angles  by  actual  measurement,  and  left 
nothing  to  the  uncertainty  of  the  compass." 

In  placing  the  Capitol,  where  it  now  stands,  on  the  brow  of  a  hill  which 
rises  eighty-eight  feet  above  the  river,  its  projectors  doubtless  contemplated  as 
the  principal  site  for  the  future  city  the  plateau  to  the  eastward — presenting, 
as  it  did,  beautiful  and  ample  building  sites,  and  commanding  a  far  more 
extensive  view  than  the  Capitoline  Hill  in  Rome,  with  which  it  is  scarcely 
comparable  otherwise  than  in  name.  It  is  recorded,  however,  that,  even  in 
the  early  days  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  speculators  in  real  estate  were 
potent,  and  this  seems  to  be  verified  by  a  letter  from  Washington,  written  to 
the  Commissioners  from  Philadelphia  on  November  17,  1792  :  "  I  agree  with 
you  in  opinion  that  ground  in  such  eligible  places  as  about  the  Capitol  and 
the  President's  house,  should  not  be  sold  in  squares,  unless  there  are  some 
great  and  apparent  advantages  to  be  derived  from  specified  buildings — imme- 
diate improvements,  or  something  which  will  have  a  tendency  to  promote  the 
advancement  of  the  city.  The  circumstances  under  which  Mr.  Blodget  bid 
off  the  square  near  the  Capitol,  were  such  as  occur  at  almost  every  public 
sale, — and,  in  that  instance  his  having  done  so  appeared  very  proper  for  the 
interest  of  the  public.  I  agree  however  with  you  that  it  wou'd  be  best  for 
the  circumstance,  not  to  be  generally  known."  The  value  of  land  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Capitol  was  so  enhanced  that  improvements  were  forced,  for 
the  mo^t  part,  in  the  opposite  direction,  of  the  north  and  northwest;  and 

*  The  latitude  of  the  Capitol  is  38°  53'  20.4"  north  ;  the  longitude  77°  oo'  35.7"  west 
from  Greenwich 


The  National  Capitol  9 

thus  it  happens  that  the  Capitol  presents  the  curious  spectacle  of  having  its 
rear  facade,  rather  than  its  imposing  front,  toward  the  wealthier  and  more 
extended  portion  of  the  city. 

It  was  L'Enfant's  expressed  intention  to  render  impossible  in  Washington 
such  barricading  of  streets  as  had  proved  destructive  to  Paris  during  her  revo- 
lutionary uprisings.  From  the  Capitol,  principal  avenues  radiate  like  the 
spokes  of  a  wheel,  commanding  all  approaches  as  to  a  fortress.  Here  center 
also  North,  South,  East  and  West  Capitol  Streets,  the  last  of  which,  however, 
is  merged  and  lost  in  the  public  grounds,  known  as  the  "  Mall,"  which  extend 
in  that  direction  to  the  river.  In  a  letter  of  September  9,  1791,  to  L' Enfant, 
the  Commissioners  say  that  they  have  "  agreed  the  streets  be  named  alphabeti- 
cally one  way  and  numerically  the  other,  the  former  divided  into  north  and 
south  letters,  the  latter  into  east  and  west  numbers  from  the  Capitol."  They 
decide  further  "that  the  federal  District  shall  be  called  the  '  Territory  of 
Columbia,'  and  the  Federal  City  '  The  City  of  Washington.'  " 

History  to-day  gives  to  L'Enfant  full  credit  for  the  genius  of  arrangement 
displayed  in  his  original  plan  of  the  Federal  City.  Unfortunately,  however, 
the  qualities  of  his  temperament  made  it  impossible  for  the  authorities  long 
to  brook  his  erratic  ways,  or  to  allow  him  personally  to  carry  out  his  grand 
conception.  His  first  material  disagreement  with  the  Commissioners  arose 
from  the  lawless  way  in  which  he  demolished  a  house  that  Mr.  Carroll  of 
Duddington  was  then  constructing  on  the  site  of  one  of  his  proposed  streets. 
The  arbitrary  procedure  of  the  engineer,  who  evidently  looked  upon  himself 
as  possessed  of  military  power  and  accountable  to  no  one  where  his  theories 
of  art  were  concerned,  is  well  revealed  by  a  letter  of  December  8,  1791, 
from  the  Commissioners  to  Mr.  Jefferson,  wherein  they  complain  that,  as  the 
house  was  "  nearly  demolished  before  the  Chancellor's  injunction  arrived,  Mr. 
Carroll  did  not  think  it  worth  while  to  have  it  served-,  trusting  perhaps  that 
our  directions  expressly  forbidding  their  further  proceedings  in  it  would  have 
been  attended  to.  We  are  sorry  to  mention  that  the  Major,  who  was  absent  at 
the  time  we  issued  them,  paid  no  attention  to  them  but  completely  demol- 
ished it  on  his  return."  The  President  also  became  out  of  patience  with 
this  defiance  of  the  procedure  of  law :  "  I  did  not  expect  to  meet  with  such 
perverseness  in  Major  L'Enfant,  as  his  late  conduct  exhibited." 

The  more  immediate  rupture,  however,  which  led  to  the  loss  of  his  posi- 
tion by  the  engineer,  was  the  persistent  way  in  which  he  refused  to  surrender 
his  plans  for  public  inspection  in  order  that  sales  of  city  lots  might  be  con- 
ducted in  accordance  with  them.  His  grounds,  no  doubt  sincere,  but  imprac- 
ticable where  money  had  so  to  be  secured  to  the  Commissioners  for  the  erec- 
tion of  federal  buildings  and  the  maintenance  of  the  local  government,  were 
that  purchasers  "  would  immediately  leap  upon  the  best  land  in  his  vistas  and 
architectural  squares,  and  raise  huddles  of  shanties  which  would  permanently 


io  The  National  Capitol 

embarrass  the  city."  On  the  i4th  of  March,  1792,  the  Commissioners  write 
to  L' Enfant  from  Georgetown :  "  We  have  been  notified  that  we  are  no 
longer  to  consider  you  as  engaged  in  the  business  of  the  federal  City."  In 
the  same  letter,  they  tender  him  five  hundred  guineas  and  a  city  lot  for  his  past 
services,  whenever  he  shall  desire  to  apply  for  the  same ;  but  to  this  his  pride 
would  not  stoop.  He  was  afterwards  employed  for  a  short  time  at  Fort  Mifflin, 
in  1794,  and  in  1812  declined  an  appointment  as  Professor  of  Engineering 
at  West  Point.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  and  the 
designer  of  its  badge. 

"  He  was  a  favorite  with  Washington,"  writes  Ben  :  Perley  Poore,  "  but 
Jefferson  disliked  him  on  account  of  his  connection  with  the  Society  of  the 
Cincinnati,  and  availed  himself  of  his  difficulty  with  the  Commissioners  to 
dis-charge  him.  The  Major  then  became  an  unsuccessful  *  petitioner  before 
Congress  for  a  redress  of  his  real  and  fancied  wrongs,  and  he  was  to  be  seen 
almost  every  day  slowly  pacing  the  Rotunda  of  the  Capitol.  He  was  a  tall, 
thin  man,  who  wore,  towards  the  close  of  his  life,  a  blue  military  coat,  but- 
toned quite  to  the  throat,  with  a  tall,  black  stock,  but  no  visible  signs  of  linen. 
His  hair  was  plastered  with  pomatum  close  to  his  head,  and  he  wore  a  napless 
high  beaver  bell-crowned  hat.  Under  his  arm  he  generally  carried  a  roll  of 
papers  relating  to  his  claim  upon  the  government,  and  in  his  right  hand  he 
swung  a  formidable  hickory  cane  with  a  large  silver  head." 

A  life  of  great  qualities  was  thus  passed,  for  the  most  part,  in  retirement 
from  active  endeavor,  because  of  an  inability  to  take  the  American  world  as 
he  found  it  and  to  deal  with  men  as  men.  The  proud  French  spirit  passed 
away  June  14,  1825.  He  was  then  residing  on  the  Chellum  Castle  estate,  in 
the  vicinity  of  Bladensburg,  where  Dudley  Diggs  had  given  him  a  home,  and 
where,  beneath  a  little  mound  of  myrtle  in  the  garden,  with  no  monument  or 
inscription  save  an  ancient  cedar  to  mark  the  spot,  he  found  a  grave.  The 
story  goes  that,  at  his  death,  the  plan  of  the  city  of  Washington  was  found 
upon  his  breast.  Some  day  this  man,  who  had  not  even  ground  he  could  claim 
for  burial,  will  be  honored  with  a  statue  in  the  city  which  owes  so  much  to 
his  genius. 

"The  enemies  of  the  enterprise,"  writes  Washington  at  the  time  of  the 
Frenchman's  dismissal,  with  apprehension  for  the  city's  welfare,  "  will  take 
advantage  of  the  retirement  of  L'Enfant  to  trumpet  the  whole  affair  as  an 
abortion."  The  President's  fears  were  not  well  founded,  however;  for,  in 
Andrew  Ellicott,  the  young  surveyor  from  Pennsylvania  who  as  L'Enfant's 
assistant  had  done  the  most  of  the  work  in  the  field,  was  found  an  able  suc- 


*  We  find  that  by  act  of  May  i,  1810,  P.  C.  L'Enfant  received  $1,394.20  (which  was 
the  sum  of  $666%  with  legal  inteifcst  from  March  I,  1792)  as  a  compensation  for  his  services 
in  laying  out  the  city  of  Washington. 


The  National  Capitol  " 

cessor,  though  his  relations  with  the  Commissioners,  like  L'Enfant's,  were 
anything  but  harmonious. 

Ellicott  was  directed  to  "  prepare  a  new  plan  for  publication,  using  mate- 
rial gathered  and  information  acquired  while  acting  surveyor."  The  original 
plan  by  L' Enfant  had  been  sent  to  the  House  by  Washington  on  December 
i3»  I791*  but  afterwards  withdrawn.  Ellicott's  plan,  purporting  to  be  the 
result  of  actual  survey,  contained  many  alterations,  though  its  difference 
from  the  plan  of  the  French  engineer  was  not  of  such  a  character  as  to  take 
from  L' Enfant  the  credit  of  the  design.  It  was  finished  in  1792,  and  engraved 
by  Washington's  order,  in  October  of  that  year.  It  is  said  that  L'Enfant, 
who  was  then  in  that  city,  when  he  saw  that  the  scroll  upon  the  "  Philadel- 
phia "  map  did  not  bear  his  name  as  its  author,  and  that  by  his  own  hand,  as 
shown  in  a  former  paragraph,  Ellicott's  name  appeared  upon  it,  left  the 
engraver's  office  in  disgust  and  would  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  the 
matter.  This  was  for  a  long  time  the  only  engraved  map,  and  was  followed 
by  the  Commissioners  in  all  operations  of  the  city,  so  far  as  practicable ; 
"  but  the  city  not  having  been  surveyed,  and  this  plan  being  partly  made  from 
the  drafts  of  L'Enfant,  and  partly  from  materials  possessed  by  Ellicott,"  as 
they  tell  us,  many  spaces  of  ground  were  found  to  be  neither  in  a  street  nor 
public  square,  and  were  added  to  the  plan  and  divided  into  building  lots, 
while  "the  actual  survey  had  another  apparent  effect;  it  occasioned  many 
squares  to  be  laid  in  the  water,  being  governed  by  the  channel,  and  to  insert 
other  squares  between  the  apparent  water-squares  and  the  river."  These 
alterations  were  incorporated  into  a  plan  in  the  Commissioners'  office,  which, 
however,  was  neither  engraved  nor  published.  The  consequence  was  that 
many  disputes  arose  among  the  Commissioners,  the  original  proprietors  and 
the  purchasers, — the  first  claiming  their  own  plan  to  be  correct,  others 
L'Enfant's  plan,  and  still  others  the  engraved  plan,  which  had  been  widely 
circulated  throughout  the  United  States  and  in  Europe  to  entice  investment. 
The  differences  led  the  trustees  to  refuse  to  convey  the  public  grounds,  though 
ordered  by  President  Adams ;  and,  finally,  on  April  8,  1802,  a  committee  of 
the  House  recommended  the  printing  of  the  Commissioners'  map  and  the 
giving  of  lieu  lands  where  warranted. 

President  Washington,  in  a  letter  to  the  Commissioners,  dated  February 
20,  1797,  throws  some  light  on  the  history  of  these  early  maps.  "  That  many 
alterations  have  been  made  from  L'Enfant's  plan  by  Major  Ellicott,  with  the 
approbation  of  the  Executive,  is  not  denied ;  that  some  were  deemed  essential, 
is  avowed;  and,  had  it  not  been  for  the  materials  which  he  happened  to 
possess,  it  is  probable  that  no  engraving  from  Mr.  L'Enfant's  draught  ever 
would  have  been  exhibited  to  the  public ;  for,  after  the  disagreement  took 
place  between  him  and  the  Commissioners  his  obstinacy  threw  every  difficulty 
in  the  way  of  its  accomplishment.  To  this  summary  may  be  added,  that 


J2  The  National  Capitol 

Mr.  Davidson  *  is  mistaken  if  he  supposes  that  the  transmission  of  Mr. 
L'Enfant's  plan  of  the  city  to  Congress  was  the  completion  thereof;  so  far 
from  it,  it  will  appear,  by  the  message  which  accompanied  the  same,  that  it 
was  given  as  matter  of  information  only,  to  show  what  state  the  business  was 
in,  and  the  return  of  it  requested;  that  neither  House  of  Congress  passed 
any  act  consequent  thereupon;  that  it  remained,  as  before,  under  the  control 
of  the  Executive  ;  that,  afterwards  several  errors  were  discovered  and  corrected, 
many  alterations  made,  and  the  appropriations,  except  as  to  the  Capitol  and 
President's  house,  struck  out  under  that  authority  before  it  was  sent  to  the 
engraver,  intending  that  work,  and  the  promulgation  thereof,  were  to  give  the 
final  and  regulating  stamp." 

Ellicott's  supervision,  too,  of  the  mapping  and  laying  out  of  the  city  was 
brief.  On  the  23d  of  December,  1793,  the  Commissioners  write  complainingly 
to  the  President :  "  Major  Ellicott  after  his  absence  great  part  of  the  summer 
and  all  the  fall,  as  we  hear  in  other  service,  returned  to  us  in  the  winter,  we 
do  not  accept  his  farther  service.  The  business  we  believe  was  going  on  full 
as  well  without  him  "  ;  and,  again,  on  January  28,  1794  :  "  We  discharged  him 
at  our  last  meeting."  Yet  Ellicott  must  have  been  a  man  of  talent ;  for  in 
after  years  he  achieved  some  distinction  in  the  world  of  science,  holding  the 
professorship  of  Mathematics  at  West  Point  from  1812  until  the  time  of  his 
death,  and  this  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  and  the  Commissioners  could  not 
agree. 

In  contemplating  the  growth  of  the  Federal  City,  it  is  amusing  and  instruc- 
tive to  read  a  letter  of  the  Commissioners  as  late  as  the  igth  of  April,  1794, 
to  Captain  Igns  Feswick,  revealing,  as  it  does,  some  of  the  difficulties  in 
the  way  of  building  a  city  in  the  woods  :  "  We  were  surprised  yesterday  to  see 
the  preparation  for  planting  corn  in  Carrollsburgh.  We  cannot  by  silence  give 
room  to  collect  that,  we  give  any  consent  and  countenance  to  it.  ... 
We  do  not  imagine  that  the  oats  will  be  productive  of  so  great  inconvenience 
and  as  to  those  sowed  we  shall  say  nothing  of  them  but  we  flatter  ourselves  that 
on  reflection  you  will  desist  from  planting  Carrollsburgh  in  corn  for  it  is  cer- 
tainly improper  and  injurious  to  the  interest  of  the  public  and  individuals." 

On  July  9,  1846,  Congress  passed  an  "  act  to  retrocede  the  County  of 
Alexandria  in  the  District  of  Columbia  to  the  State  of  Virginia,"  the  Legis- 
lature of  that  State  having  previously  passed  an  act  for  its  acceptance.  Thus 
that  portion  of  the  land  on  the  Virginia  shore  of  the  Potomac  became  again 
the  property  of  that  State ;  that  which  remains  in  the  District  of  Columbia 
to-day  belonged  originally  only  to  the  domain  of  Maryland. 

Such  is  the  story,  briefly  told,  of  the  laying  out  of  the  Federal   District, 

*  The  Commissioners  state  :  "  Mr.  Davidson's  object  is  to  obtain  additional  property 
within  the  President's  square." 


The  National  Capitol  13 

which  until  1846  was  ten  miles  square,  and  of  the  planting  of  the  beautiful 
Federal  City  of  which  to-day  the  whole  nation  is  proud,  and  which,  by  its 
artistic  advancement,  is  rapidly  commanding  the  admiration  of  the  world. 
By  the  building  of  the  capital  of  the  States  upon  its  banks,  the  Potowmak  has 
fulfilled  the  Indian  prophecy  in  its  name  :  "  The  river  of  the  meeting  of  the 
tribes." 


EARLY  PLANS  AND  ARCHITECTS 

THE  site  for  the  legislative  halls  having  been  selected  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  President,  the  question  of  plans  suitable  to  a  building  for  the  occupa- 
tion of  Congress  took  up  the  attention  of  the  public  authorities.  In  a  letter 
of  March  8,  1792,  to  David  Stuart,  one  of  the  Commissioners,  Washington 

writes  : 

"  The  doubts  and  opinions  of  others  with  respect  to  the  permanent  seat  have  occa- 
sioned no  change  in  my  sentiments  on  the  subject.  They  have  always  been,  that  the  plan 
ought  to  be  prosecuted  with  all  the  dispatch  the  nature  of  the  case  will  admit,  and  that  the 
public  buildings  in  size,  form  and  elegance,  should  look  beyond  the  present  day.'  I  would 
not  have  it  understood  from  hence  that  I  lean  to  extravagance.  A  chaste  plan  sufficiently 
capacious  and  convenient  for  a  period  not  too  remote,  but  one  to  which  we  may  reasonably 
look  forward,  would  meet  my  idea  in  the  Capitol." 

The  following  interesting  advertisement,  which  appeared  in  the  principal 
newspapers  of  the  country  during  the  same  month,  shows  that  the  Commis- 
sioners had  more  land  than  money  with  which  to  reward  intellectual  excel- 
lence. 

"WASHINGTON    IN    THE    TERRITORY   OF   COLUMBIA" 

"  A  premium  of  a  lot  in  this  city  to  be  designated  by  impartial  judges,  and  five 
hundred  dollars,  or  a  medal  of  that  value  at  the  option  of  the  party,  will  be  given  by  the 
Commissioners  of  the  Federal  Buildings  to  the  person  who  before  the  I5th  of  July,  1792, 
shall  produce  to  them  the  most  approved  plan  for  a  Capitol  to  be  erected  in  this  city  ;  and 
two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  or  a  medal,  to  the  plan  deemed  next  in  merit  to  the  one  they 
shall  adopt.  The  building  to  be  of  brick,  and  to  contain  the  following  apartments  to  wit : 
a  conference-room  and  a  room  for  the  Representatives,  sufficient  to  accommodate  three 
hundred  persons  each  ;  a  lobby  or  ante-room  to  the  latter  ;  a  Senate  room  of  twelve  hundred 
square  feet  area  ;  an  ante-chamber  ;  twelve  rooms  of  six  hundred  square  feet  each  for 
Committee  rooms  and  clerks'  offices.  It  will  be  a  recommendation  of  any  plan  if  the 
central  part  of  it  may  be  detached  and  erected  for  the  present  with  the  appearance  of  a 
complete  whole,  and  be  capable  of  admitting  the  additional  parts  in  future,  if  they  shall 
be  wanted.  Drawings  will  be  expected  of  the  ground  plots,  elevations  of  each  front,  and 
sections  through  the  building  in  such  directions  as  may  be  necessary  to  explain  the  internal 
structure  ;  and  an  estimate  of  the  cubic  feet  of  brick  work  composing  the  whole  mass  ot 
the  walls." 

Of  the  sixteen  plans  which,  in  answer  to  this  advertisement,  are  said  to 
have  been  submitted  by  architects,  draftsmen  and  others*  throughout  the 

*  See  Washington's  letter,  Appendix,  p.  249. 


The  National  Capitol  15 

country,  many  persons,  including  Thomas  Jefferson,  then  Secretary  of  State, 
favored  those  of  Strpln'u  llallot,  a  French  architect,  who  had  established 
himself  in  Philadelphia  just  prior  to  the  Revolution.  Hallet  visited  the  city 
of  Washington  by  invitation  in  the  summer  of  1792,  in  order  to  examine  the 
site  chosen  for  the  Capitol  and  better  to  perfect  his  designs.  These  would 
undoubtedly  have  been  accepted,  had  not  William  Thornton,*  an  English 
physician  by  education,  but  an  amateur  draftsman  by  taste,  and  the  designer 
of  the  Philadelphia  Library,  then  brought  to  the  President's  attention  through 
Trumbull,  the  artist,  a  different  conception  of  a  building  designed  for  the 
meetings  of  Congress.  Washington,!  at  the  sight  of  Thornton's  drawings, 
became  enthusiastic  over  "  the  grandeur,  simplicity,  and  beauty  of  the  exterior ; 
the  propriety  with  which  the  apartments  are  distributed,  and  economy  in  the 
whole  mass  of  the  structure." 

As  Hallet,  however,  had  been  encouraged  regarding  his  designs  and  had 
made  alterations  in  them  to  meet  the  approbation  of  the  President  and  others, 
some  courtesy  was  due  to  him.  For  the  sake  of  conciliation,  the  President, 
with  considerations  of  justice  towards  both,  shrewdly  suggested  that  Thorn- 
ton's plans  be  adopted,  but  that,  as  he  was  not  a  professional  architect, 
Hallet  be  engaged,  in  order  that,  under  the  direction  of  a  trained  architect, 
they  might  the  better  be  executed.  The  Commissioners,  too,  evidently  felt 
kindly  toward  Hallet  at  this  period ;  for  in  a  communication  to  Jefferson  of 
February  7,  1793,  they  say :  "  We  feel  sensibly  for  poor  Hallet,  and  shall  do 
everything  in  our  power  to  soothe  him.  We  hope  he  may  be  usefully  em- 
ployed notwithstanding."  On  the  i3th  of  the  following  month,  in  a  letter 
to  Hallet  himself,  they  thus  endeavored  to  compensate  him  for  his  dis- 
appointment : 

"  The  plan  you  first  offered  for  a  Capitol  appeared  to  us  to  have  a  great  share  of  merit, 
none  met  with  our  entire  approbation.  Yours  approaching  the  nearest  to  the  leading 
ideas  of  the  President  and  Commissioners.  .  .  .  Our  opinion  has  preferred  Doctor 
Thornton's  and  we  expect  the  President  will  confirm  our  choice.  Neither  the  Doctor  or 
yourself  can  command  the  prize  under  the  strict  terms  of  our  advertisement,  but  the  public 
has  been  benefitted  by  the  emulation  excited  and  the  end  having  been  answered  we  shall 
give  the  reward  of  500  dollars  and  a  lot  to  Dr.  Thornton.  You  certainly  rank  next  and 
because  your  application  has  been  exited  by  particular  request,  we  have  resolved  to  place 
you  on  the  same  footing  as  near  as  may  be,  that  is  to  allow  compensation  for  everything 
to  this  time,  100  £  being  the  value  of  a  Lot  and  500  Dollars." 

The  Commissioners  notified  Thornton  of  his  triumph  by  letter  of  April 
5>  !793>  written  from  Georgetown:  "The  President  has  given  formal  appro- 
bation of  your  plans."  Four  days  later  they  write  to  the  Executive  :  "  Doc- 
tor Thornton  throws  out  an  idea  that  the  Capitol  might  be  thrown  back  to  the 

*  See  letter  to  Thornton,  Appendix,  p.  250. 
f  See  letters,  Appendix,  pp.  250,  251. 


i6  The  National  Capitol 

desirable  spot  and  the  center  ornamented  with  a  figure  of  Columbus.  The 
idea  seems  not  to  be  disapproved  by  Mr.  Blodget,  and  Ellicott  thinks  there's 
room  enough.  It  does  not  seem  to  us  that  there's  any  striking  impropriety 
and  wish  that  you  could  consider  it  on  the  spot  where  you  could  have  the 
most  perfect  idea  of  it." 

Hallet  at  once  raised  objections  to  the  practical  application  of  Thornton's 
plans;  and  in  the  following  July,  the  President  held  a  conference  in  Phila- 
delphia, at  which  were  present  the  author  of  the  contested  design,  Hallet, 
Hoban  and  a  "  judicious  undertaker  [builder]  chosen  by  Doctor  Thornton  as 
a  competent  judge  of  the  objections  made  to  his  plan  of  a  Capitol  for  the 
City  of  Washington."  At  this  meeting,  the  plans  were  carefully  examined, 
and  the  objections  fully  discussed.  Certain  changes  were  suggested  by  Hal- 
let,  wherein,  says  Washington,  "  he  has  preserved  the  most  valuable  ideas  of 
the  original,  and  rendered  them  susceptible  of  execution;  so  that  it  is  consid- 
ered as  Dr.  Thornton's  plan,  rendered  into  practical  form."  The  President 
further  informs  us  that  "  Col.  Williams,  an  undertaker  also  produced  by  Doc- 
tor Thornton,"  after  viewing  the  plans  and  objections,  thought,  on  the  whole, 
the  reformed  plan  the  best.  Later,  on  the  25th,  the  Executive  writes  to  the 
Commissioners  as  follows : 

"  .  .  .  After  a  candid  discussion,  it  was  found  that  the  objections  stated,  were  con- 
sidered as  valid  by  both  the  persons  chosen  by  Doctor  Thornton  as  practical  Architects  and 
competent  judges  of  things  of  this  kind.  .  .  .  The  plan  produced  by  Mr.  Hallet 
altho'  preserving  the  original  plan  of  Doctor  Thornton,  and  such  as  might,  upon  the 
whole,  be  considered  as  his  plan,  was  free  from  those  objections,  and  was  pronounced  by 
the  gentleman  on  the  part  of  Doctor  Thornton,  as  the  one  which  they,  as  practical  Archi- 
tects would  chuse  to  execute.  Besides  which,  you  will  see,  that,  in  the  opinion  of  those 
gentlemen,  the  plan  executed  according  to  Mr.  Hallet's  ideas  would  not  cost  more  than 
one  half  of  what  it  would  if  executed  according  to  Doctor  Thornton's. 

"After  these  opinions,  there  could  remain  no  hesitation  how  to  decide;  and  Mr. 
Hoban  was  accordingly  informed  that  the  foundation  would  be  begun  upon  the  plan 
exhibited  by  Mr.  Hallet,  leaving  the  recess  in  the  east  front  open  for  further  con- 
sideration. 

"It  seems  to  be  the  wish  that  the  portico  of  the  east  front,  which  was  in  Doctor 
Thornton's  original  plan,  should  be  preserved  in  this  of  Mr.  Hallet's.  The  recess  which 
Mr.  Hallet  proposes  in  that  front,  strikes  every  one  who  has  viewed  the  plan,  unpleasantly, 
as  the  space  between  the  two  wings  or  projections,  is  too  contracted  to  give  it  the  noble 
appearance  of  the  buildings  of  which  it  is  an  imitation  ;  and  it  has  been  intimated  that  the 
reason  of  his  proposing  the  recess  instead  of  a  portico,  is  to  make  it  in  one  essential  feature 
different  from  Doctor  Thornton's  plan.  But  whether  the  portico  or  the  recess  should  be 
finally  concluded  upon  will  make  no  difference  in  the  commencement  of  the  foundations 
of  the  building,  except  in  that  particular  part — and  Mr.  Hallet  is  directed  to  make  such 
sketches  of  the  Portico,  before  the  work  will  be  affected  by  it,  as  will  show  the  advantage 
or  disadvantage  thereof.  The  ostensible  objection  of  Mr.  Hallet  to  the  adoption  of  Doctor 
Thornton's  east  front  is  principally  the  depreciation  of  light  and  air,  in  a  degree,  to  the 
apartments  designed  for  the  Senate  and  Representatives." 


The  National  Capitol  17 

Thornton's  original  plans  have  been  lost;  but  from  the  data  at  hand,  it 
would  seem  that  he  conceived  in  the  central  building  a  grand  vestibule,  with 
a  portico  on  the  east,  and  another  large  circular  room  on  the  western  front. 
The  latter  chamber,  for  conference,  was  to  be  lighted  by  small  elevated 
windows  and  have  for  its  western  entrance  a  single  door- way,  opening  upon 
a  semi-circular  portico,  whence  a  broad  expanse  of  steps  ran  to  the  ground. 

Hallet  proposed  a  square  cen.ter  in  place  of  the  vestibule,  having  an  open 
court  on  the  ground  floor  containing  a  turn  for  carriages.  The  only  dome 
rose  above  a  circular  conference  room  on  the  west.  The  external  appearance 
of  the  walls,  too,  was  much  altered ;  and  the  columns  on  both  the  east  and 
the  west  were  extended  to  the  full  height  of  the  structure.  The  pleasing 
effect  of  the  present  basement-exterior  with  the  graceful  pilasters  above  was 
entirely  destroyed. 

In  a  report  to  Congress  in  1804,  Latrobe,  then  architect  of  the  Capitol, 
criticises  the  work  of  Thornton  on  the  ground  that  he  furnished  simply 
a  picture  and  not  a  plan.  In  a  letter  to  Congress  *  answering  this  report, 
Thornton  himself  furnishes  an  insight  into  the  relation  between  his  own  plans 
and  those  of  Hallet:  "  Mr.  Hallet  changed  and  diminished  the  Senate  room, 
which  is  now  too  small.  He  laid  square  the  foundation  at  the  centre  build- 
ing, excluding  the  dome ;  and  when  General  Washington  saw  the  extent  of  the 
alterations  proposed,  he  expressed  his  disapprobation  in  a  style  of  such 
warmth  as  his  dignity  and  self  command  seldom  permitted.  .  .  .  Mr. 
Hallet  was  desirous  not  merely  of  altering  what  might  be  approved,  but  even 
what  was  most  approved.  He  made  some  judicious  alterations,  but  in  other 
instances  he  did  injury." 

It  was  quite  impossible  for  amicable  relations  long  to  continue  between 
Thornton  and  Hallet  f  under  these  circumstances.  Hallet  was,  no  doubt,  a 
skillful  architect;  and  his  ideas  for  reducing  the  cost  of  the  building  one-half 
by  judicious  changes,  mainly  in  size,  had  met  the  encouragement  of  all,  and 
had  led  to  certain  modifications  in  the  designs  looking  toward  the  accom- 
plishment of  that  end.  But  he  was  not  content.  His  spirit  throughout  shows 
that  he  was  jealous  of  Thornton's  success  and  constantly  attempted  to  supplant 
the  latter's  work  by  alterations  of  his  plans  and  by  changes  in  the  execution. 

On  September  12,  1794,  the  President  appointed  Thornton  one  of  the 
Commissioners  in  charge  of  the  District  and  Federal  buildings,  and  this  was 
doubtless  that  he  might  personally  see  his  plans  carried  out.  "  When  General 
Washington,"  he  says,  "  honored  me  with  the  appointment  of  commissioner 
he  requested  that  I  should  restore  the  building  to  a  correspondence  with  the 
original  plan."  In  this  capacity  Thornton  had  a  supervisory  control  of  the 
Capitol  until  1802,  when  the  office  was  abolished.  In  June,  prior  to  his 

*  See  Appendix,  p.  252  f  See  Commissioners'  letter,  Appendix,  p.  251. 

2 


1 8  The  National  Capitol 

appointment,  Hallet  was  finally  discharged,  after  holding  his  office  two  years. 
Irumbull  was  then  in  London,  and  upon  the  receipt  of  a  letter  from  the 
Commissioners,  followed  by  a  consultation  with  West,  the  artist,  and  Wyatt, 
the  principal  architect  in  London,  contracted  with  George  Hadfield, 
a  fellow-student  at  the  Royal  Academy  and  the  winner  of  ail  its  academic 
prizes,  to  proceed  immediately  to  America  and  superintend  the  work  at 
the  Capitol.  Hadfield  was  appointed  October  15,  1795,  On  March  nth  of 
the  next  year,  Mr.  Jeremiah  Smith,  in  a  communication  to  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives, reported:  "The  foundation  of  the  Capitol  is  laid ;  the  foun- 
dation wall  under  ground  and  above  is  of  different  thicknesses,  and  is  com- 
puted to  average  fourteen  feet  high  and  nine  feet  thick.  The  freestone  work 
is  commenced  on  the  north  wing;  it  is  of  different  heights,  but  may  average 
three  feet  and  a  half;  the  interior  walls  are  carried  up  the  same  height." 

Hadfield,  like  Hallet,  was  not  content  with  the  supervision  of  the  work 
for  which  he  had  been  employed,  and  soon  attempted  to  engraft  his  own 
plans  into  the  construction.  The  President,  however,  had  already  had  too 
much  difficulty  with  the  quibbles  of  architects  to  listen  placidly  *  to  the  new 
designs.  When  Hadfield  found  he  could  not  control  the  matter,  he  gave 
notice  to  the  Commissioners  that,  at  the'  expiration  of  his  contract,  which 
would  be  in  three  months,  he  would  quit  the  public  employment.  But,  to 
his  astonishment,  finding  a  ready  acquiescence  on  the  part  of  the  authorities, 
and  being  offered  his  passage  money  to  England  at  once,  "  he  seems  to  have 
considered  the  subject  better,"  write  the  Commissioners,  "and 
applied  to  withdraw  his  notice,  promising  every  attention  to  carrying  on  the 
Capitol  as  approved  of  by  the  President."  The  Commissioners  permitted 
him  to  continue  upon  the  work  until  the  expiration  of  his  contract. 

Hadfield  was,  no  doubt,  a  man  of  some  theoretical  attainments,  as  the 
Commissioners  write,  March  29,  1797,  that  he  "  has  drawn  the  plan  of  all  the 
public  offices  to  be  erected  in  the  City  of  Washington,  and  which  have  met 
with  the  approbation  of  the  President  and  the  several  Departments  for  which 
they  are  intended."  His  limitations  are  well  summed  up  in  their  letter  of  the 
25th  of  June,  1798,  to  the  Secretary  of  State  :  "  We  believe  Mr.  Hadfield  to 
"be  a  young  man  of  taste  but  we  have  found  him  extremely  deficient  in  prac- 
tical knowledge  as  an  architect  .  .  .  under  Mr.  Hadfield's  directions  it 
never  could  have  been  completed  in  an  effectual  manner.  We  therefore  gave 
Mr.  Hoban  (who  has  heretofore  superintended  the  President's  house)  the 
immediate  superintendence  of  the  Capitol."  Trumbull,  however,  is  true  to 
his  protege  :  "  His  services  were  soon  dispensed  with,  not  because  his  knowl- 
edge was  not  eminent,  but  because  his  integrity  compelled  him  to  say,  that 
parts  of  the  original  plan  could  not  be  executed.  Poor  Hatfield  languished 

*  See  Washington's  letter,  Appendix,  p.   251. 


DR.    WILLIAM  THORNTON 


The  National  Capitol  21 

many  years  in  obscurity  at  Washington,  where  however,  towards  the  close  of 
his  life,  he  had  the  opportunity  of  erecting  a  noble  monument  to  himself  in 
the  city  hall,  a  beautiful  building,  in  which  is  no  waste  of  space  or  materials." 

James  Holmn,  who  had  settled  in  Charleston,  S.  C.,  prior  to  the  Revo- 
lution, was  a  native  of  Ireland.  He  came  to  Washington  in  July,  1792,  and 
on  the  1 8th  was  employed  at  a  salary  of  three  hundred  guineas  a  year.  He 
seems  to  have  been  a  reliable  and  good  man  and  to  have  enjoyed  the  respect 
and  friendship  of  Thornton  and  others  with  whom  he  was  associated.  Hoban 
planned,  built,  and  rebuilt  the  White  House;  and,  indeed,  was  engaged  upon 
the  public  buildings  for  more  than  twenty-five  years,  though  his  supervision  of 
the  construction  at  the  Capitol,  whenever  the  Commissioners  found  it  necessary 
to  utilize  him  there  and  possible  to  relieve  him  from  other  work,  ended  in 
1802.  It  fell  to  his  lot  to  protect  the  public  interest  by  carefully  rebuilding 
the  foundation  walls  of  Congress  House,  which  the  contractors  had  fraudulently 
constructed  by  loosely  dumping  in  place  broken  stone  and  mortar  from  wheel- 
barrows. This  early  piece  of  knavery  gave  rise  to  the  expression,  "  The  Con- 
tinental Trowel." 

Thus,  strange  to  say,  the  designs  of  the  original  building,  and  the  model 
in  accordance  with  which  the  classic  Capitol  has  grown  to  completion,  were 
not  conceived  by  a  professional  architect.  Neither  Hallet,  Hadfield  nor 
Hoban  designed  any  portion  of  the  present  structure.  Thornton,  however, 
was  no  ordinary  man.  He  was  poet,  artist,  scholar,  inventor.  He  was  the 
Father  of  the  Patent  Office,  having  held  the  position  of  clerk  in  charge  of  the 
patents,  at  $1,400  per  year,  under  an  appointment  from  Jefferson;  and  was 
virtually  its  first  commissioner,  for  later  his  office  became  known  as  Superin- 
tendent of  Patents,  and  his  salary  raised  to  $2,000  a  year.  In  1810  he  moved 
the  models,  patents  and  records  of  the  Patent  Office  into  Blodgett's  Hotel, 
where  Congress  afterwards  met  for  a  short  period. 

An  universal  genius,  Thornton  was  the  friend  of  the  early  Presidents,  and 
the  companion  of  the  best  in  the  land.  He  had  a  love  for  fast  horses,  and 
owned  several,  which  did  not  lessen  his  attractiveness  in  the  estimation  of 
many  of  the  distinguished  wits  and  beaux  of  his  day.  He  drew  plans  for  a 
number  of  the  finest  old  places  in  Washington  (among  them  the  "  haunted" 
Octagon  or  Tayloe  house),  many  of  which  still  stand  as  monuments  to  his 
genius.  He  was  born  on  the  island  of  Tortola,  in  the  West  Indies,  was  edu- 
cated in  medicine  in  England  and  Paris,  and  traveled  extensively  in  accom- 
plishing himself.  He  came  to  America,  and  was  married  in  Philadelphia  in 
1790.  Three  years  later  he  moved  to  Washington,  where  he  lived  highly 
respected  until  his  death,  March  28,  1828. 


ORIGINAL   CORNER-STONE 

THE  i8th  of  September,  1793,  should  be  ever  memorable  in  American 
history.  On  that  eventful  day,  George  Washington,  surrounded  by  those  he 
loved,  descended  into  the  cavazion  at  the  southeast  corner  of  the  proposed 
north  or  Senate  wing,  and  firmly  set  with  Masonic  rites  the  corner-stone  of  the 
National  Capitol.  The  day  was  beautiful.  The  sight  of  the  little  group  of 
patriots  gathered  about  that  spot,  offering  prayers  for  the  prosperity  of  the 
people  and  for  the  kindred  growth  of  the  Capitol  and  the  nation,  and  all 
filled  with  reverence  and  love  for  the  tall,  majestic,  soldier-President,  now 
silver-crowned  by  years,  who  had  guided  many  of  those  present  and  the 
brothers  and  fathers  of  others,  gone  forever,  through  the  dark  days  of  the 
Revolution,  must  have  been  one  £>f  tender  impressiveness  then,  as  it  is  in 
reflective  glimpses  now.  The  Masonic  apron  worn  by  the  President  was  the 
handiwork  of  Madame  de  Lafayette,  the  wife  of  that  beloved  French  general 
whose  heroism  had  helped  to  make  possible  this  peaceful  and  propitious  scene. 

The  following  account  of  the  ceremonies  on  this  august  occasion  is  taken 
from  the  columns  of  the  Columbian  Centinel,  published  in  Boston,  October  5, 
1793,  and  is,  no  doubt,  a  fairly  accurate  description,  as  it  was  written  presum- 
ably by  an  eye-witness. 

BY  THURSDAY  NIGHT'S  MAILS. 

MARYLAND. 

GEORGETOWN,  Sept.  21. 

On  Wednesday  last  one  of  the  grandest  Masonic  processions  took  place,  which, 
perhaps,  ever  was  exhibited  on  the  like  important  occasion. 

About  ten  o'clock,  Lodge  No.  9,  were  visited  by  that  congregation,  so  grateful  to  the 
craft,  Lodge,  No.  22,  of  Virginia,  with  all  their  officers  and  regalia,  and  directly  afterwards 
appeared  on  the  southern  banks  of  the  grand  river  Potowmack,  one  of  the  finest  companies 
of  volunteer  artillery  that  hath  been  lately  seen,  parading  to  receive  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  who  shortly  came  in  sight  with  his  suite — to  whom  the  artillery  paid  their 
military  honors,  and  his  Excellency  and  suite  crossed  the  Potowmack,  and  was  received  in 
Maryland  by  the  officers  and  brethren  of  No.  22,  Virginia,  and  No.  9,  Maryland  ;  whom 
the  President  headed,  and  preceded  by  a  band  of  music,  the  rear  brought  up  by  the 
Alexandria  volunteer  artillery,  with  grand  solemnity  of  march,  proceeded  to  the  President's 
square,  in  the  city  of  Washington,  where  they  were  met  and  saluted  by  No.  15,  of  the  city 
of  Washington,  in  all  their  elegant  regalia,  headed  by  brother  Joseph  Clark,  Rt.  W.G, 
M.P.T.  and  conducted  to  a  large  Lodge  prepared  for  the  purpose  of  their  reception. 
After  a  short  space  of  time,  by  the  vigilance  of  brother  C.  Worthy  Stephenson,  grand 


The  National  Capitol  23 

marshal,  P.T.  the  brotherhood  and  other  bodies  were  disposed  in  a  second  order  of  proces- 
sion, which  took  place  amidst  a  brilliant  crowd  of  spectators  of  both  sexes,  according  to  the 
following  arrangements,  viz. : 

The  Surveying  department  of  the  city  of  Washington, 
Mayor  and  Corporation  of  Georgetown, 

Virginia  artillery, 

Commissioners  of  the  City  of  Washington,  and  their  attendants. 
Stone  cutters, 

Mechanics, 

Two  Sword  Bearers, 

Masons  of  the  Fifth  degree, 

Bibles,  etc.,  on  Grand  Cushions, 

Deacons  with  Staffs  of  Office, 

Stewards  with  Wands, 

Masons  of  the  Third  Degree, 

Wardens  with  Truncheons, 

Secretaries  with  Tools  of  Office, 

Pay-Masters  with  their  Regalia, 

Treasurers  with  their  Jewels, 

Band  of  Music, 
Lodge  No.  22,  of  Virginia,  disposed  in  their  own  order, 

Corn,  Wine,  and^il, 

G^nd  Master,  Pro  Tern., 

Bro*ber  George  Washington,  W.  M. , 

No.  22,  Virginia, 
Grand  sword-bearer. 

The  procession  marched  two  a-breast,  in  the  greatest  solemn  dignity,  with  music  play- 
ing, drums  beating,  colours  flying,  and  spectators  rejoicing  ;  from  the  President's  square  to 
the  capitol,  in  the  city  of  Washington  :  where  the  grand  marshal  ordered  a  halt,  and  directed 
each  file  in  the  procession  to  incline  two  steps,  one  to  the  right,  and  one  to  the  left,  and 
face  each  other,  which  formed  an  hollow  oblong  square  ;  through  which  the  grand  sword 
bearer  led  the  van  ;  followed  by  the-  grand  master  P.  T.  on  the  left — the  President  of  the 
United  States  in  the  center,  and  the  Worshipful  master  of  No.  22,  Virginia,  on  the  right — 
all  the  other  orders,  that  composed  the  procession  advanced,  in  the  reverse  of  their  order  of 
march  from  the  President's  square,  to  the  South  East  corner  of  the  capitol :  And  the  artillery 
Hied  off  to  a  destined  ground  to  display  their  manceuvers  and  discharge  their  cannon  :  The 
President  of  the  United  States,  the  Grand  Master,  P.  T.  and  Worshipful  M.  of  No.  22, 
taking  their  stand  to  East  of  an  huge  stone  ;  and  all  the  craft,  forming  a  circle  Westward, 
stood  a  short  time  in  silent  3wful  order  ; 

The  Artillery  discharged  a  volley. 

The  Grand  Master  delivered  the  Commissioners,  a  large  silver  plate  with  an  inscription 
thereon,  which  *he  Commissioners  ordered  to  be  read,  and  was  as  follows  : — 

This  southeast  corner  stone  of  the  Capitol  of  the  United  States  of  America,  in  the  city 
of  Washington  was  laid  on  the  i8th.,  day  of  September,  1793,  in  the  eighteenth  year  of 
American  Independence,  in  the  first  year  of  the  second  term  of  the  Presidency  of  George 
V»  ashington,  whose  virtues  in  the  civil  administration  of  his  country  have  been  as  conspicious 
and  beneficial  as  his  military  valor  and  prudence  have  been  useful  in  establishing  her  liber- 
ties, and  in  the  year  of  Masonry  5793,  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  in  concert 


24 


The  National  Capitol 


MASONIC   PROCESSION,    SEPTEMBER     1 8,   1793 


with  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Maryland,  several  lodges  under  its  jurisdiction,  and  Lodge  No.  22, 
from  Alexandria,  Va. ;  Thomas   F.  Johnson,  David  Steuart,  and  Daniel  Carrol,  Commis- 
sioners; Joseph  Clark,  Right  Worshipful  Grand  Master,  pro  tempore;  James  Hoban  and 
Stephen  Hallette,  architects  ;  Collin  Williamson,  master  mason. 
The  artillery  discharged  a  volley. 

The  plate  was  then  delivered  to  the  President,  who,  attended  by  the  grand  master  P.T. 
— and  three  most  worshipful  masters  descended  into  the  cavasson  trench,  and  deposed  the 
plate,  and  laid  on  it  the  cornerstone  of  the  Capitol  of  the  United  States  of  America — on 
which  was  deposed  corn,  wine,  and  oil  ;  when  the  whole  congregation  joined  in  awful 
prayer,  which  was  succeeded  by  Masonic  chaunting  honours  and  a  volley  from  the  artillery. 

The  President  of  the  United  States  and  his  attendant  brethren  ascended  from  the 
cavasson  to  the  East  of  the  corner  stone,  and  there  the  grand  master  P.T.  elevated  on  a  triple 
rostrum,  delivered  an  animated  and  ingenious  Oration.* 

The  whole  company  retired  to  an  extensive  booth,  where  an  ox  of  500  Ibs. 'was  bar- 
bacued,  of  which  the  company  generally  partook,  with  every  abundance  of  other  recreation. 
The  festival  concluded  with  fifteen  successive  vollies  from  the  artillery,  whose  military  dis- 
cipline and  manceuvers,  merit  every  commendation. 

*  This  oration,  pronounced  by  Brother  Joseph  Clarke,  Rt.  Worshipful  Grand-Master 
P.T.,  may  be  found  in  the  Columbian  Centinel  of  Wednesday,  October  9,  1793. 


IN  the  month  of  October,  1800,  a  small  "  packet  sloop,"  laden  with  all 
the  records,  archives  and  furniture  which  the  infant  Republic  possessed, 
sailed  from  Philadelphia,  where  Congress  then  sat,  up  the  Potomac  to  the  new 
seat  of  government. 

Oliver  Wolcott,  in  a  letter  to  his  wife  of  the  4th  of  July,  writes  that  there 
was  at  that  time,  "  one  good  Tavern  about  forty  rods  from  the  Capitol,  and 
several  other  houses  .  .  .  building ;  but  I  do  not  perceive  how  the  mem- 
bers of  Congress  can  possibly  secure  lodgings  unless  they  will  consent  to  live 
like  Scholars  in  a  college  or  Monks  in  a  monastery,  crowded  ten  or  twenty 
in  one  house,  and  utterly  secluded  from  Society.  The  only  resource  for  such 
as  wish  to  live  Comfortably  will  be  found  in  Georgetown,  three  miles  distant, 
over  as  bad  a  Road  in  winter  as  the  clay  grounds  near  Hartford."  Yet  a 
belle  of  the  times  describes  the  former  place  as  "  a  town  of  houses  without 
streets,  as  Washington  is  a  town  of  streets  without  houses." 

The  Commissioners  report  that  on  May  15,  1800,  by  accurate  report, 
there  were  109  houses  of  brick  and  263  of  wood.  On  November  15,  1801, 
to  these  had  been  added  84  of  brick  and  151  of  wood,  while  79  of  brick  and 
35  of  wood  were  building.  Between  1796  and  January,  1801,  the  Commis- 
sioners sold  lots  southwest  of  Massachusetts  Avenue  at  an  average  price  of 
$343  ;  and  northeast,  they  and  the  proprietors  sold  them  at  an  average  price 
of  $105.  Lots  "  binding  on"  navigable  waters  sold  at  an  average  price  of 
$12.71  the  "  foot  front." 

This  primitive  condition  of  the  city  in  which  Congress  was  to  take  up  its 
permanent  residence  furnished  abundant  food  for  wits  and  raconteurs.  John 
Cotton  Smith,  a  Representative  from  Connecticut,  said  that,  "  Instead  of 
recognizing  the  avenues  and  streets,  portrayed  on  the  plan  of  the  city,  not 
one  was  visible,  unless  we  accept  a  road,  with  two  buildings  on  each  side  of 
it,  called  New  Jersey  Avenue.  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  leading,  as  laid  down 
on  paper,  from  the  Capitol  to  the  Piesidential  Mansion,  was,  nearly  the  whole 
distance,  a  deep  morass  covered  with  alder  bushes,  which  were  cut  through  the 
\virith  of  the  intended  avenue  during  the  ensuing  winter."  He  described  the 
city  generally  as  "  covered  with  scrub  oak  bushes  on  the  higher  grounds,  and 
on  the  marshy  soil  either  with  trees  or  some  sort  of  shrubbery." 

Mrs.  John  Adams,  writing  to  her  daughter,. says :  "  Woods  are  all  you  see 
from  Baltimore  until  you  reach  the  City,  which  is  only  so  in  name — here  and 


26  The  National  Capitol 

there  a  small  cot  without  a  window  appearing  in  the  Forest,  through  which? 
you  travel  miles  without  seeing  a  human  being."  Only  a  month  later,  Gouver- 
neur  Morris  writes:  "We  want  nothing  here  but  houses,  cellars,  kitchens, 
well-informed  men,  amiable  women  and  other  trifles  of  this  kind  to  make  our 
city  perfect.  ...  In  short,  it  is  the  very  best  city  in  the  world  for  a 
future  residence." 

Congress  met  for  the  first  time  in  the  City  of  Washington  on  November 
17,  1800.  Not,  however,  until  the  2ist  was  President  Adams  notified  that 
the  Senate  at  last  had  a  quorum ;  and  on  the  next  day  at  twelve  o'clock, 
according  to  his  own  arrangement,  he  came  into  the  Senate  Chamber,  where 
the  Representatives  had  already  taken  the  seats  assigned  them  for  the  cere- 
mony, and  addressed  Congress,  congratulating  them  "  on  the  prospect  of  a 
residence  not  to  be  changed.  Although  there  is  cause  to  apprehend  that 
accommodations  are  not  now  so  complete  as  might  be  wished,  yet  there  is 
great  reason  to  believe  that  this  inconvenience  will  cease  with  the  present 
session." 

Both  branches  were  then  sitting  in  the  old  north  wing,  as  that  was  all  that 
was  then  completed,  and  truly  their  conveniences  do  not  seem  to  have  been 
of  the  best ;  for,  four  days  after  convening,  Thomas  Claxton  was  directed 
to  erect  a  shelter  over  the  fire-wood  required  by  the  two  Houses  so  as  to  pro- 
tect it  from  the  weather.  For  the  furnishing  of  the  apartments  themselves, 
the  offices  and  the  committee  rooms,  as  well  as  for  the  expenses  of  the 
removal  of  the  books,  records  and  papers  of  Congress  from  Philadelphia, 
only  $9,000  had  been  appropriated,  to  be  expended  under  the  supervision  of 
the  Secretaries  of  the  four  Executive  Departments.  These  Secretaries  at  the 
same  time  were  to  see  that  the  Commissioners  prepared  footways  in  suitable 
places  and  directions  for  the  "  greater  facility  of  communication  between  the 
various  Departments  and  offices  of  the  Government." 

On  February  n,  1801,  the  Speaker,  attended  by  the  House,  proceeded  to 
the  Senate  Chamber  to  witness  the  opening  and  counting  of  the  electoral 
votes  for  President  and  Vice-President.  It  was  found  that  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son and  Aaron  Burr  each  had  received  73  votes,  John  Adams  65,  Charles 
Cotesworth  Pinckney  64,  and  John  Jay  i.  The  President  of  the  Senate, 
therefore,  announced  that,  according  to  the  Constitution,  it  lay  with  the 
House  to  choose  between  Jefferson  and  Burr  for  President.  The  House  then 
returned  to  their  own  chamber  where,  with  closed  doors,  they  proceeded  to 
ballot  by  States.  During  the  day  Mr.  Nicholson,  who  had  been  very  ill, 
appeared  and  had  a  seat  assigned  him  in  an  ante-room  of  the  chamber  in  which 
the  House  assembled,  whither  the  tellers  of  Maryland  carried  the  ballot-box 
to  enable  him  to  vote.  This  was  important,  as  his  vote  for  Jefferson  divided 
the  State.  The  first  ballot  showed  8  States  for  Jefferson,  6  for  Burr,  and  2 
divided.  The  thirty-sixth  ballot,  on  the  i7th,  was  final:  10  States  for 


The  National  Capitol 


Jefferson,  4  for  Burr — Delaware  and  South  Carolina  voting  by  blank  ballots. 
The  National  Intelligencer  of  the  i6th  says:  "All  the  accounts  received 
from  individuals  at  a  distance,  as  well  as  the  feelings  of  citizens  on  the  spot, 
concur  in  establishing  the  conviction  that  the  present  is  among  the  most 
solemn  eras  which  have  existed  in  the  annals  of  our  country.  That  confi- 
dence, which  has  hitherto  reposed  in  tranquil  security,  on  the  wisdom  and 
patriotism  of  Congress,  stands  appalled  at  dangers  which  threaten  the  peace 
of  society,  and  the  existence  of  the  Constitution.  .  .  .  The  unanimous 
and  firm  decision  of 
the  people  through-  PF 
out  the  United  States 
in  favor  of  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson will  be  irre- 
sistible." 

The  correspond- 
ing south  wing  *  was 
not  so  far  completed 
as  to  be  occupied  by 
the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives until  the 
beginning  of  the  ex- 
tra session  on  Octo-  - 
ber 26,  1807.  At  the 
close  of  the  first  ses- 
sion in  Washington, 
however,  the  House 

left  its  chamber  on  the  west  side  of  the  north  wing,  where  soon  after  the 
Library  was  placed,  and  on  December  7,  1801,  took  up  its  quarters  in  "  the 
oven,"  a  temporary  low  brick  structure  of  elliptical  shape  on  the  site  f  of 
the  proposed  south  wing. 

In  1803,  Benjamin  Henry  Latrobe,  an  accomplished  English  archi- 
tect, who  had  settled  in  Richmond  soon  after  coming  to  America,  was  ap- 
pointed by  Jefferson  to  take  charge  of  the  work  as  surveyor  at  the  Capitol, 
with  full  authority  to  construct  the  south  wing,  and  to  remodel  the  north 
wing  if  he  should  think  advisable.  Latrobe  was  a  man  of  some  artistic  taste, 
as  is  seen  from  a  study  of  his  work  and  a  perusal  of  the  many  reports  he  sent 
to  Congress  respecting  its  progress.  He  is  said  to  have  been  presented  ta 
President  Washington  at  Mount  Vernon  shortly  after  his  arrival  in  the  United 
States,  in  1796,  by  Judge  Bushrod  Washington,  and  to  have  made  a  most  fav- 
orable impression  upon  the  Executive.  Following  latrobe's  appointment, 


THE    CAPITOL,     1807 


*  For  plans,  see  Appendix,  p.   255.  f  See  Jefferson's  letter,  Apnemlix,  p.  24<). 


28  The  National  Capitol 

the  foundations  of  the  external  walls  of  the  south  wing,  he  says,  "  were  con- 
demned and  pulled  down.  The  center  building  occupied  by  the  House  of 
Representatives  remained  standing, — because  in  the  opinion  of  many  a  further 
appropriation  appeared  at  least  doubtful."  Very  little  other  work  was  done 
on  account  of  the  narrow  space  around  the  building,  and  all  the  workmen  were 
discharged  in  December.  After  the  House  adjourned,  on  March  27,  1804, 
however,  the  temporary  building  was  torn  down  and  removed,  and  the  south 
constructure  commenced  in  earnest. 

The  Quasimodo  of  the  Capitol,  no  doubt,  chuckled  gleefully  at  the 
steadfastness  of  the  majority  of  the  Members  but  three  days  before  the 
adjournment.  Despite  the  advocacy  of  John  Randolph  and  the  strength 
given  to  the  measure  by  his  "  yea" — to  say  nothing  of  the  personal  discom- 
fort of  the  Representatives— they  then  defeated  by  a  vote  of  76  to  27  a 
Senate  amendment  providing  for  "  finishing  the  President's  House  in  such 
manner  as  will  accommodate  both  Houses  of  Congress ;  and  for  the  purpose 
of  renting,  purchasing,  or  building  a  suitable  house  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  President." 

The  destruction  of  the  "oven"  necessitated  another  removal  of  the 
House,  in  the  fall  of  1804.  They  evidently  again  took  up  their  old  quarters 
in  the  north  wing,  as  in  the  next  year  $700  were  appropriated  "  for  defraying 
the  expenses  incidental  to  the  dismantling  the  late  Library  room  of  Con- 
gress, and  fitting  it  up  for  the  accommodation  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, at  the  ensuing  session."  Here,  Latrobe  tells  us,  their  extremely 
inconvenient  situation  during  the  session  of  1805-06  "  created  a  very  great 
impatience  in  all  the  members  to  occupy  their  new  Hall,  at  the  next  ses- 
sion." Indeed,  they  specially  called  upon  the  President  to  carry  the  work 
upon  the  south  wing  to  completion  by  that  time,  but  it  proved  to  be  im- 
possible. On  December  8,  1806,  one  of  the  Representatives  observed  that 
"  he  had  kept  his  seat  not  without  considerable  alarm  "  ;  and  it  was  resolved 
that  the  Speaker  take  steps  to  pull  down  the  plastering  or  otherwise  secure 
"  the  ceiling  of  the  chamber  in  which  the  sessions  of  the  House  are  now  held." 
This  had  swagged  in  some  places  more  than  half  an  inch,  and  in  another  part 
of  the  House  had  actually  fallen  down. 

In  the  spring  of  1807,  in  conformity  to  a  report  of  the  Superintendent,  a 
bill  was  prepared  providing  for  the  alteration,  as  well  as  the  repair,  of  the  east 
side  of  the  north  wing.  It  proposed  to  make  two  stories  of  the  Senate  Cham- 
ber,  and  to  apply  the  upper  one  to  the  courts.  The  Senate  was  to  be  accom- 
modated on  the  west  side  of  the  north  wing,  by  demolishing  the  Library,, 
committee  rooms,  etc.,  and  making  in  their  place  one  large  room.  Wrier* 
the  bill  came  to  the  House,  however,  it  was  amended,  Mr.  J.  R.  Williams 
saying  that  he  knew  of  but  one  reason  for  the  proposed  change  :  "It  was  to 
make  things  correspond  with  the  parliamentary  language.  When  a  bill  is  sent 


The  National  Capitol  29- 

down  from  the  Senate  to  the  House  of  Representatives,  it  will,  if  the  altera- 
tion takes  place,  really  descend,  as  this  House  will  be  about  fifteen  feet  lower 
than  the  Senate."  Rather  than  incur  a  great  expense  for  such  an  object,  he 
continued,  he  "  would  rather  alter  the  language  and  say,  a  bill  is  sent  up  to- 
this  House  and  down  to  the  Senate." 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1806  the  framing  of  the  roof  of  the  south  wing 
was  put  on,  and  during  the  winter  it  was  covered  in.  The  greatest  exertions 
were  then  made  to  finish  the  interior,  in  order  to  be  ready  for  the  early 
meeting  of  the  House  in  October,  1807.  Latrobe  seems  somewhat  to  have 
altered  Thornton's  plan  for  this  chamber  by  substituting  a  hall  in  the  form  of 
"two  semi-circles  abutting  on  a  parallelogram"  for  one  of  elliptical  shape. 
"The  seats  of  the  members  will  occupy  the  area  of  the  House,"  he  reports, 
"and  look  to  the  south.  Behind  the  Speaker's  chair  is  a  small  chamber 
appropriated  to  his  use.  The  House  is  surrounded  by  a  plain  wall  seven  feet 
high.  The  24  Corinthian  columns  which  rise  upon  this  wall  and  support  the 
dome,  are  26  feet  8  inches  in  height,  the  entablature  is  6  feet  high,  the 
blocking  course  i  foot  6  inches,  and  the  dome  rises  12  feet  6  inches,  in 
all  53  feet  8  inches.  The  area  within  the  wall  is  85  feet  6  inches  wide. 
The  space  within  the  external  walls  is  no  feet  by  86  feet."  The  Corin- 
thian columns,  probably  of  freestone,  and  their  ornate  capitals,  were  finished 
upon  the  ground.  There  were  at  this  time  in  the  service  of  the  government, 
two  skillful  Italian  sculptors,  Andrei  and  Franzoni,  who,  with  their  pupil, 
Somerville,  an  American  citizen,  were  employed,  for  the  most  part,  upoa 
this  and  the  other  more  difficult  work  at  the  Capitol. 

In  1807  Latrobe  sent  a  letter  to  Congress,  and  the  following  extracts  are 
worthy  of  perusal,  not  only  for  their  description  of  the  south  wing,  but  for 
their  picture  of  some  of  the  difficulties  under  which  the  early  Congresses 
labored : 

"  In  the  distribution  of  the  House,  it  is  provided  that  the  access  of  those  citizens  who- 
attend  in  the  gallery,  solely  for  the  purpose  of  being  present  at  the  debates,  is  on  the  south 
front,  at  a  distance  from  the  eastern  entrance,  which  leads  to  the  apartments  appropriated 
to  legislative  business.  Between  these  parts  of  the  buildings  there  is  no  communication 
whatever,  excepting  by  a  small  door  from  the  lobby,  which  door  is  only  intended  to  admit 
the  Doorkeeper  into  the  gallery,  in  order  to  execute  an  order  of  the  House  for  the  exclusion 
of  strangers. 

"  Thus  all  intrusion  upon  the  business  of  the  House  and  of  its  committees,  may  be- 
effectually  prevented  by  regulating  admissions  by  the  eastern  entrance. 

"  The  ground  floor  is  entirely  appropriated  to  the  use  of  the  committees  of  the  House, 
and  of  the  Clerk.  The  committee  rooms  ranged  on  the  east  .and  west  fronts  have  an  ante- 
chamber or  waiting  room,  to  each  range,  for  the  use  of  those  citizens  who  have  to  attend  the 
committees,  and  who,  heretofore,  had  no  accommodation  but  such  as  the  lobby  or  the 
gallery  of  the  House  afforded.  Such  persons  must  of  necessity  enter  at  the  eastern  door. 

"  From  this  entrance  also  the  staircases  lead  up  to  the  door  of  the  House.  Within  the 
House  the  lobbies  are  to  the  right  and  left.  The  position  of  the  Doorkeeper  gives  him  an 


30  The  National  Capitol 

immediate  view  of  every  one  who  enters,  while  the  interior  of  the  House  cannot  be  seen 
excepting  from  the  galleries  of  the  lobbies.  There  is,  therefore,  no  temptation  to  continu- 
ance in  the  lobby,  but  for  the  sake  of  hearing  the  debates  from  its  galleries,  in  which  the 
presence  of  the  House  will  preserve  order  and  silence. 

"  Within  the  colonnade  of  the  House  there  is  no  room  for  any  persons  not  members  of 
the  House,  excepting  on  the  seats  under  the  northern  part  of  the  wall.  Those  seats  were 
erected  on  the  presumption  that  the  House  might  appropriate  the  same  to  the  use  of  the 
Senators  of  the  United  States,  when  attending  the  House,  and  of  such  other  persons,  dis- 
tinguished by  their  official  characters,  as  the  House  might  judge  proper  to  admit  to  them. 

"  It  will  be  in  the  recollection  of  the  members  that,  in  the  north  wing  of  the  Capitol, 
in  which  were  all  the  committee  rooms  and  the  Clerk's  office,  even  during  the  sitting  of 
the  House  in  the  temporary  building,  erected  on  the  site  of  the  south  wing,  every  one, 
without  discrimination-,  had  access  to  all  the  passages  of  the  building.  It  was,  indeed, 
impossible  to  distinguish  those  who  ought  from  those  who  ought  not  to  have  entered.  The 
consequence  was,  that  every  part  was  crowded  by  those  who  had  and  by  more  who  had  no 
business  in  the  House.  There  are  annually  from  four  to  five  hundred  persons  whom  their 
affairs  bring  to  the  seat  of  Government  during  the  sitting  of  the  National  Legislature  ;  for 
these  citizens  the  interior  of  the  House  afforded  the  only  shelter  during  the  severity  of  the 
Winter.  The  lobby  of  the  House  was,  therefore,  usually  filled  with  a  part  of  them,  to  the 
great  inconvenience  of  the  members,  and  sometimes  to  the  interruption  of  the  legislative 
business.  Besides  these,  idle  and  dissolute  persons  ranged  the  whole  building  ;  the  walls 
were  defaced  by  obscenity  and  libels  ;  the  public  furniture  and  utensils  of  the  House  were 
considered  as  fair  objects  of  depredation  ;  and,  were  I  to  state  the  amount  of  some  of  the 
depredations,  it  would  appear  almost  incredible.  The  committee  rooms  themselves  have 
not  been  secure  from  the  most  improper  intrusion  ;  and,  to  particularise  only  one  fact, 
much  of  the  leakage  of  the  roof  arose  from  the  smaller  pieces  of  lead,  called  flashings, 
being  stolen. 

It  is  evident  that  the  propensity  of  boys  in  those  days  was  much  the  same 
as  it  is  to-day;  for  the  architect  adds,  in  the  same  report,  "some  restriction 
might  probably  be  laid  upon  the  intrusion  of  boys  of  all  colors  beyond  the 
outer  door,  by  regulating  the  occupancy  of  these  lobbies." 

In  March  of  the  following  year,  Latrobe  tells  us,  the  south  wing  was  vir- 
tually complete.  The  wood-work,  though  primed,  and  the  walls,  however, 
required  painting;  while  only  two  of  the  capitals  of  the  Corinthian  columns 
were  entirely  finished,  eight  in  a  state  of  forwardness,  and  fourteen  only 
rough-hewn.  Also  the  moulding  of  the  cornice,  the  sculpture  over  the  entrance, 
two  small  capitals  in  the  circular  vestibule  and  other  minor  details  still 
needed  attention. 

On  December  n,  1809,  Latrobe  reports: 

"When  the  House  first  occupied  the  south  wing,  the  number  of  committees  and  com- 
mittee rooms  was  only  seven.  The  Committee  of  the  District  of  Columbia  has  since  then  been 
created  and  great  inconvenience  has  been  experienced  for  want  of  a  room  sufficiently 
spacious  for  their  increasing  business.  At  present,  their  sittings  are  held  in  the  small 
chamber  fitted  up  for  the  use  of  the  President  whenever  he  comes  to  the  Capitol." 


The  National  Capitol  31 

After  the  completion  of  the  permanent  quarters  for  the  Representatives, 
Latrobe  turned  his  attention  to  the  north  wing,  which  had  been  constructed 
previous  to  his  appointment  as  architect.  The  main  appropriations,  of 
$20,000  each,  for  this  portion  of  the  building  were  made  March  3,  1809,  and 
May  i,  1810.  The  former  act  contained  also  an  appropriation  of  $5,000 
"  for  completing  the  staircase,  and  providing  temporary  and  adequate  accom- 
modations for  the  Library,  in  the  room  now  used  for  that  purpose,  and  in  the 
one  in  which  the  Senate  now  sit." 

Latrobe,  in  the  report  of  1809,  thus  describes  the  progress  of  the  work : 

"  The  court  room,  the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  the  office  and 
library  of  the  judges  have  also  been  nearly  completed,  and  may  be  occupied  the  approaching 
session  of  the  court  [February  Term,  1810]  .  .  .  the  court  room  and  those  offices  on  the 
ground  story,  which  support  the  Senate  chamber,  and  other  apartments  of  the  Senate  above, 
were  necessarily  constructed  out  of  the  general  fund  of  the  north  wing.  .  .  . 

"  The  whole  east  side  and  centre  of  the  north  wing  being  now  permanently  completed, 
excepting  the  part  deficient  in  the  Senate  chamber,  the  iron  work  of  the  staircase,  and  some 
minor  details,  I  again  beg  leave  to  call  your  attention  to  the  west  side  of  this  wing  ;  it  is 
intended  to  contain  the  library,  and  is  in  such  a  state  of  decay  throughout,  as  to  render  it 
dangerous  to  postpone  the  work  proposed.  It  is  now  the  only  part  of  the  Capitol  that 
remains  to  be  solidly  re-built. 

"  But  independently  of  this  consideration,  the  increasing  extent  of  the  library  of  Con- 
gress induces  me  to  represent  to  you  the  necessity  of  constructing  the  rooms  intended  per- 
manently to  contain  it.  Should  the  work  be  commenced  in  the  appropriate  season,  the 
books  may  be  removed,  and  the  library  and  reading  rooms  fitted  up  for  use  by  the  session 
after  the  next." 

These  repairs  had  been  much  needed,  as  is  shown  by  Latrobe's  report*  of 
March  23,  1808 : 

"  The  accommodation  of  the  Senate  and  of  the  Courts  is  very  far  from  being  convenient 
for  the  despatch  of  public  business  .  .  .  the  present  chamber  of  the  Senate  cannot  be  con- 
sidered as  altogether  safe,  either  as  to  the  plastering,  of  which  the  columns  and  entablature 
consist,  or  as  to  its  floor  and  ceiling  .  .  .  rooms  in  the  third  story,  which  have  never  been 
finished,  but  which  will  be  highly  useful  apartments  whenever  the  wing  shall  be  completed." 

The  same  report  informs  us  why  these  repairs  had  not  been  begun  under 
the  appropriation  of  March  3,  1807,  for  the  general  repair  of  the  wing: 

"  The  floors  and  ceilings  of  the  Senate  chamber  and  library  being  also  rotten,  it  was 
judged  most  prudent  and  necessary  to  begin  with  a  thorough  repair  of  the  centre  from  the 
foundation,  and  not  to  disturb  these  apartments,  the  use  of  which  con  hi  not  be  dispensed 
icith  the  ensuing  session  ;  for,  had  the  roof  of  the  Senate  chamber  been  opened,  no  exer- 
tions could  have  completed  the  repairs  in  proper  time,  .  .  . 

"  In  the  gre;it  staircase  the  old  wooden  skylight  and  cove  was  entirely  taken  down,  and 
a  solid  brick  cupola  turned  over  this  large  area  of  forty-five  by  thirty-five  feet,  and  crowned 
by  a  lantern  light." 

*  See  Jefferson's  letter,  Appendix,  p.  252. 


32  The  National  Capitol 

The  repairs  in  the  Court  room  in  1809  seem  to  have  been  made  during  a 
recess  of  the  Court  and  not  to  have  interfered  with  its  sittings.  It  was  far 
otherwise  with  the  repairs  in  the  Senate  Chamber.  On  Washington's  Birth- 
day, 1809,  that  body  resolved  that  the  surveyor  of  the  public  buildings,  "  with 
as  little  expense  as  may  consist  with  the  reasonable  comfort  of  the  members, 
and  with  the  convenience  of  spectators,"  prepare  "The  Library  Room"  for 
its  accommodation  at  the  next  session.  This  began,  by  a  special  act  of 
Congress,  on  May  22d,  but  lasted  until  only  the  28th  of  June,  when  both 
Houses  adjourned  to  meet  on  the  fourth  Monday  in  November.  On  New 
Year's  Day,  1810,  the  Senate  returned  to  its  chamber.  Six  months  before,  it 
had  appropriated  $15,000  to  finish  and  furnish  its  permanent  abode,  together 
with  the  committee  rooms,  lobbies  and  other  apartments.  An  additional 
appropriation  of  $1,600  had  been  made  to  defray  the  expense  incurred  in 
fitting  up  the  temporary  chamber,  and  in  providing  and  repairing  articles  of 
furniture. 

Both  wings  were  built  of  freestone  from  quarries  upon  an  island  in  Acquia 
Creek,  in  the  State  of  Virginia,  which  island  the  government  had  purchased 
in  1791  for  the  sum  of  $6,000.  They  were  connected  in  1811  by  a  wooden 
bridge,  running  north  and  south,  100  feet  in  length;  and  in  this  condition, 
save  for  certain  repairs  and  for  some  sculpture  in  the  House  and  finishing 
touches  to  the  Senate  Chamber,  the  Capitol  remained  until  the  fire  in  1814. 

The  official  estimates  show  that  $491,194.19  were  the  net  expenditures 
upon  the  old  building,  out  of  Congressional  appropriations,  from  1803  to 
1819.  A  goodly  part  of  the  cost  of  the  old  Capitol  was  defrayed  from  dona- 
tions of  the  State  of  Maryland,  which  contributed  $72,000  to  the  fund  for  the 
erection  of  public  buildings  in  Washington,  and  of  the  State  of  Virginia, 
which  voted  $120,000  for  the  like  good  cause.  In  this  connection  it  is 
amusing  to  reflect  upon  the  candid  expression  of  Washington  in  his  letter  of 
August  29,  1793,  to  the  Commissioners  of  the  Federal  District:  "Query — 
In  what  manner  would  it  be  proper  to  state  the  accounts  with  the  States  of 
Virginia  and  Maryland,  they  having  advanced  monies  which  have  not  been 
all  expended  on  the  objects  for  which  they  were  appropriated  ?  " 


BURNING   OF  THE   CAPITOL,  1814 

CONGRESS  continued  to  occupy  the  two  small  wings  until  the  ill-fated  24th 
day  of  August,  1814.  Our  second  war  with  Great  Britain  was  then  at  its 
height.  Madison  was  President.  A  few  days  before,  an  English  fleet,  com- 
manded by  Admiral  Cockburn  and  carrying  troops  under  the  command  of 
General  Ross,  sailed  up  the  Patuxent.  The  main  debarkation  took  place  at 
Benedict  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river,  whence  the  troops  marched  to  Blad- 
ensburg,  where  an  engagement  ensued.  An  ignominious  rout  of  the  Americans 
followed,  due,  perhaps,  as  much  to  the  policy  of  the  generals  as  to  the  rawness 
of  the  troops. 

By  General  Winder's  orders,  the  Americans  fell  back  on  the  Capitol  and 
awaited  the  advancing  enemy.  "There,"  says  Ingersoll  in  his  History  of 
the  Second  War,  "  General  Armstrong  suggested  throwing  them  into  the  two 
wings  of  that  stone,  strong  building.  But  General  Winder  with  warmth 
rejected  the  proposal.  .  .  .  Colonel  Monroe  [afterwards  President]  coin- 
cided with  General  Winder's  opinion.  The  Capitol,  he  feared,  might  prove 
a  cul-de-sac,  from  which  there  would  be  no  escape ;  the  only  safety  was  to 
rally  on  the  heights  beyond  Georgetown.  .  .  .  Both  at  their  first  order  to 
retreat  toward  the  Capitol,  and  their  last  to  retreat  from  it,  and  march  beyond 
the  city,  insubordinate  protests,  oaths,  tears,  and  bitter  complaints  broke 
forth.  To  preserve  order  in  ranks  so  demoralized  and  degraded  was  impossi- 
ble. Broken,  scattered,  licentious,  and  tumultuous,  they  wandered  along  the 
central,  solitary  avenue,  which  is  the  great  entry  of  Washington ;  when  arrived 
at  Georgetown,  were  a  mere  mob,  from  which  it  was  preposterous  to  suppose 
that  an  army  could  be  organised  to  make  a  stand  there." 

This  defeat  of  the  Americans  at  Bladensburg,  and  the  retreat,  or  rather 
flight,  of  the  soldiers  through  the  city,  abandoning  the  government  buildings 
to  the  mercy  of  the  enemy,  was  the  signal  for  a  general  panic.  Every  sort  of 
vehicle  was  pressed  into  service  to  remove  valuables  from  private  homes  and 
public  offices.  The  President,  after  taking  the  field,  found  his  counsel  use- 
less, and  fled,  as  did  Mrs.  Madison,  who  stopped  only  to  see  to  the  removal 
from  the  White  House  of  silver  and  other  articles  of  value,  including  the  pict- 
ure of  George  Washington  by  Gilbert  Stuart  which,  because  of  her  womanly 
thoughtful  ness,  still  adorns  its  walls.  In  this  connection  we  quote  her  vivid 
letter  to  her  sister,  Mrs.  Cutts,  hastily  written  at  the  White  House  before  the 
departure.  If  the  officers  and  soldiers  had  been  possessed  of  more  of  the 
3 


34 


The  National  Capitol 


sense  and  heroism  of  this  great  woman,    the  city  itself    might  have  been 
saved. 

"  Twelve  O'clock. — Since  sunrise  I  have  been  turning  my  spyglass  in  every 
direction,  and  watching  with  unwearied  anxiety,  hoping  to  discover  the 
approach  of  my  dear  husband  and  friends ;  but  alas,  I  can  descry  only  groups 


THE   CAPITOL,    1814 


of  military  wandering  in  all  directions,  as  if  there  were  a  lack  of  arms  or  of 
spirit  to  fight  for  their  own  firesides." 

"Three  O'clock. — Will  you  believe  it,  my  sister,  we  have  had  a  battle  or 
skirmish  near  Bladensburg,  and  here  I  am  still  within  sound  of  the  cannon. 
Mr.  Madison  comes  not.  May  God  protect  us  !  Two  messengers  covered 
with  dust  come  to  bid  me  fly,  but  here  I  mean  to  wait  for  him.  ...  At 
this  late  hour  a  wagon  has  been  procured  and  I  have  had  it  filled  with  plate  and 
the  most  valuable  portable  articles  belonging  to  the  house.  Whether  it  will 
reach  its  destination — the  Bank  of  Maryland — or  fall  into  the  hands  of  British 
soldiery,  events  must  determine.  Our  kind  friend,  Mr.  Carroll,  has  come  to 


The  National  Capitol  •    35 

hasten  my  departure,  and  is  in  a  very  bad  humour  with  me  because  I  insist  in 
waiting,  until  the  large  picture  of  General  Washington  is  secured,  and  it 
requires  to  be  unscrued  from  the  wall.  This  process  was  found  too  tedious  for 
these  perilous  moments.  I  have  ordered  the  frame  to  be  broken  and  the  can- 
vas taken  out.  It  is  done  ;  and  the  precious  portrait  placed  in  the  hands  of 
two  gentlemen  of  New  York  for  safe-keeping. 

"  And  now,  my  dear  sister,  I  must  leave  this  house,  or  the  retreating  army 
will  make  me  a  prisoner  in  it  by  filling  up  the  road  I  am  directed  to  take." 

The  city  was  soon  deserted,  except  by  lawlessness  and  anarchy.  "  Many 
passed  the  night,"  writes  Ingersoll,  "  in  huts  and  cornfields  around  the 
town.  The  first  considerable  dwelling  the  enemy  was  to  pass  had  been  Mr. 
Gallatin's  residence,  the  house  of  Mr.  Sewall,  some  hundred  yards  east  of 
the  Capitol.  From  behind  the  side  wall  of  that  house,  as  is  supposed,  -at  all 
events  from  or  near  to  it,  a  solitary  musket,  fired  by  some  excited  and  perhaps 
intoxicated  person,  believed  to  be  a  well-known  Irish  barber,  but  never 
ascertained  who  was  the  perpetrator,  no  doubt  aimed  at  General  Ross,  killed 
the  bay  mare  he  rode." 

On  reaching  the  Capitol,  the  enemy  detailed  a  body  of  men  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  building.  Admiral  Cockburn,  incensed,  no  doubt,  by  the  shot 
which  killed  Ross's  horse,  impudently  ascended  the  rostrum  in  the  House  of 
Representatives,  sprang  into  the  Speaker's  chair  in  his  muddy  boots,  and, 
calling  his  battle-stained  troops  to  order  in  mock  parliament,  shouted  deri- 
sively :  "  Shall  this  harbor  of  Yankee  Democracy  be  burned  ?  All  for  it  will 
say,  Aye  !  "  An  unanimous  cry  in  the  affirmative  arose  from  the  soldiers,  and 
the  order  was  cheerfully  given.  By  means  of  rockets,  tar  barrels  found  in  the 
neighborhood,  broken  furniture,  heaps  of  books  from  the  Library,  and  pictures, 
including  the  full-length  paintings*  of  Marie  Antoinette  and  Louis  XVI., 
which  had  been  presented  by  that  unfortunate  monarch  to  Congress,  the  whole 
structure  was  soon  in  flames.  This  infamous  act  stamped  Sir  George  Cockburn, 
admiral  and  baronet  of  England,  a  barbarian  who  justly  merits  the  contempt 
of  posterity.  How  strange  that  it  fell  to  his  lot,  in  the  autumn  of  1815,  tri- 
umphantly to  execute  in  the  "  Northumberland"  the  sentence  of  deportation 
to  St.  Helena,  which  had  been  passed  upon  Bonaparte. 

Fortunately,  the  storm  which  had  been  threatening  during  the  approach 
of  the  English,  aided  by  a  few  patriotic  hands,  finally  extinguished  the  flames. 
But  too  late  !  It  is  recorded  as  having  had  a  velocity  so  great  as  to  destroy 
many  buildings  and  trees  in  the  city,  and  as  portending  to  the  superstitious 
such  dire  calamity  as  the  upheavals  in  Rome  when  Caesar  fell. 

Rev.  G.  R.  Gleig,  who,  with  a  detachment  of  the  British  troops,  had  spent 
the  night  in  the  storm  outside  the  city,  and  whose  ardor  was,  no  doubt,  damp- 

*  For  resolution  of  Congress  containing  letter  of  acceptance,  see  Appendix,  p.  260. 


36  The  National  Capitol 

ened  thereby,  says  :  "  As  soon  as  dawn  appeared,  the  brigade  moved  from  its 
bivouac  on  the  common,  and  marched  into  the  town.  Proceeding  along  a 
narrow  street,  which  was  crossed  at  right  angles  by  two  or  three  of  a  similar 
description,  we  arrived  at  a  large  open  space,  surrounded  on  three  sides  by  the 
rudiments  of  a  square,  and  having  its  fourth  imperfectly  occupied  by  the  ruins 
of  the  Senate-House.  It  is  slightly  raised  above  the  level  of  the  rest  of  the 
city,  and  is  crossed  by  a  paltry  stream,  called  in  true  Yankee  grandiloquence, 
the  Tiber,  as  the  hill  itself  is  called  the  Capitol.  Here  the  brigade  halted, 
and  piling  their  arms  in  two  close  columns,  the  men  were  permitted  to  lie 
down." 

By  this  invasion  of  the  English,  the  last  volumes  of  the  manuscript  rec- 
ords of  the  Committees  of  Ways  and  Means,  Claims  and  Pensions,  and  Revo- 
lutionary Claims,  which  were  then  being  prepared  for  Congress,  were  destroyed, 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  after  the  battle  of  Bladensburg  they  were  removed  by 
Mr. 'Frost  to  the  "  house  commonly  called  George  Washington's,  which  house 
being  unexpectedly  consumed  by  fire,  these  records  were  unfortunately  lost." 
The  Congressional  Library,  and  the  secret  journal  of  Congress,  which  was  kept 
in  a  private  drawer  and  in  the  hurry  forgotten,  were  consumed  in  the  building 
itself,  together  with  many  private  papers,  petitions,  valuable  effects  and  the 
private  accounts  and  vouchers  of  Patrick  Magruder,  Clerk  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  among  which  were  unfortunately  the  accounts  and  receipts 
for  the  expenditure  of  the  contingent  moneys  of  the  House.  These  last  were 
locked  in  a  private  drawer  to  which  Magruder  only  had  the  key,  and  the  clerks, 
delaying  breaking  it  open,  finally  forgot  them.  The  Executive  Departments 
of  the  government,  however,  removed  their  effects  in  time  to  a  place  of 
safety  under  the  direction  of  their  Secretaries,  a  fact  which  served  to  heighten 
the  criticisjm  heaped  upon  the  authorities  at  the  Capitol  for  the  irreparable 
loss  sustained  there. 

Considerable  light  is  thrown  upon  the  subject  by  the  letter  of  the  Clerk 
to  the  House,  September  20,  1814,  and  by  the  enclosed  report  addressed  to 
him  by  his  assistants,  S.  Burch  and  J.  T.  Frost,  from  which  it  seems  Magruder 
in  July  had  gone  to  the  Springs  for  his  health,  so  that  he  was  absent  from  the 
city,  when  unexpectedly,  on  August  igth,  "  the  whole  body  of  the  militia  of 
the  District  of  Columbia  was  called  out,  under  which  call  every  clerk  of  the 
office  was  taken  into  the  field,  except  Mr.  Frost,  and  marched  to  meet  the 
enemy."  On  the  2ist,  Burch  was  furloughed  at  the  request  of  Colonel  George 
Magruder,  in  order  that  he  might  return  to  the  Capitol  and  save  such  papers 
as  was  possible  "  in  case  the  enemy  should  get  possession  of  the  place."  He 
arrived  the  same  night.  His  instructions  were,  however,  not  to  begin  pack- 
ing up  until  "  the  clerks  at  the  War  Office  were  engaged  in  that  business," 
which  he  did  not  ascertain  to  be  the  case  until  noon  of  the  22d.  At  that  late 
hour,  Burch  found  that  the  few  conveyances  which  had  not  already 


The  National  Capitol  37 

"  impressed  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  for  the  transportation  of  the 
baggage  of  the  army,"  were  loaded  with  private  effects,  and  these  he  could 
not  hire ;  nor  had  he  the  power  to  impress  them.  As  a  last  resort,  he  dis- 
patched three  messengers  into  the  country,  one  of  whom  obtained  from  John 
Wilson,  whose  residence  was  six  miles  from  the  city,  a  cart  and  four  oxen, 
which  did  not  arrive  until  after  dark.  With  this  primitive  conveyance,  that 
very  night,  they  transported  some  of  the  papers  to  a  secret  spot  nine  miles 
from  Washington,  and  continued  to  remove  such  books  and  records  as  they 
were  able  with  the  one  cart  until  the  morning  of  the  battle.  Strange  to  say, 
a  goodly  part  of  the  papers  so  removed  turned  out  to  be  valuable. 

Popular  feeling  at  the  time  in  America  regarding  the  whole  affair  naturally 
was  bitter,  and  was  voiced  by  Jefferson  in  a  letter  of  February  14,  1815, 
from  Monticello  to  his  friend,  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette :  "  The  force  desig- 
nated by  the  president  was  double  what  was  necessary,  but  failed,  as  is  the 
general  opinion,  through  the  insubordination  of  Armstrong,  who  would  never 
believe  the  attack  intended  until  it  was  actually  made,  and  the  sluggishness  of 
Winder  before  the  occasion,  and  his  indecision  during  it.  Still,  in  the  end, 
the  transaction  has  helped  rather  than  hurt  us,  by  arousing  the  general  indig- 
nation of  our  country,  and  marking  to  the  world  of  Europe  the  vandalism 
and  brutal  character  of  the  English  Government.  It  has  merely  served  to 
immortalise  their  infamy." 

Even  many  Englishmen  bitterly  condemned  the  acts  perpetrated  by  their 
countrymen  in  the  American  capital,  as  unworthy  of  civilized  warfare.  The 
letter  of  Grenville  to  John  Trumbull  of  November  23,  1814,  though  couched 
in  most  diplomatic  language,  does  not  wholly  conceal  his  true  feelings  :  "  I 
was  prepared  and  resolved  to  pursue  the  subject  further,  nor  did  I  desist  from 
that  intention,  until  I  received  public  and  solemn  assurances,  that  orders  had 
already  been  sent  out  to  America  for  the  discontinuance  of  such  measures, 
and  for  a  return  of  the  practice  of  modern  and  civilized  war,  provided  the 
same  course  shall  in  future  be  adhered  to  by  those  whom  I  lament  to  call  our 
enemies."  The  London  Statesman  went  so  far  as  to  say:  "  Willingly  would 
we  throw  a  veil  of  oblivion  over  our  transactions  at  Washington.  The  Cos- 
sacks spared  Paris,  but  we  spared  not  the  Capitol  of  America." 


RE-ASSEMBLING   OF   CONGRESS 

THE  triumphal  entry  of  the  British  into  the  capital,  the  destruction  of  the 
government  buildings  by  fire,  and  the  retreat  the  following  day,  created  intense 
excitement  in  the  land.  Because  of  the  extraordinary  necessity,  Congress 
was  convened  in  extra  session  at  Washington,  September  ipth,  by  special 
proclamation  of  the  President : 

WASHINGTON,  September  17,  1814. 

SIR  :  The  destruction  of  the  Capitol,  by  the  enemy,  having  made  it  necessary  that  other 
accommodations  should  be  provided  for  the  meeting  of  Congress,  Chambers  for  the  Senate 
and  for  the  House  of  Representatives,  with  other  requisite  apartments,  have  been  fitted  up, 
under  the  direction  of  the  Superintendent  of  the  City,  in  the  public  building  heretofore 
allotted  for  the  Post  and  other  public  offices. 

JAMES  MADISON. 

The  story  of  the  re-assembling  of  Congress  is  told  by  Paul  Jennings,  the 
colored  body  servant  of  James  Madison  and,  afterwards,  the  servant  of  Daniel 
Webster,  more  clearly  than  by  some  learned  writers.  In  his  Reminiscences, 
he  says : 

"  Congress  met  in  extra  session,  at  Blodgett's  old  shell  of  a  house  on  yth 
street  (where  the  General  Post  Office  now  stands).  It  was  three  stories  high, 
and  had  been  used  for  a  theatre,  a  tavern,  an  Irish  boarding-house,  etc.  ;  but 
both  Houses  of  Congress  managed  to  get  along,  notwithstanding  it  had  to 
accommodate  the  Patent-office,  City  and  General  Post-office,  committee- 
rooms,  and  what  was  left  of  the  Congressional  Library,  at  the  same  time. 
Things  are  very  different  now." 

Tradition  interestingly  asserts  that  this  Patent  Office  building  was  saved 
to  Congress  through  the  daring  of  Thornton,  the  designer  of  the  Capitol. 
Seeing  an  English  officer  order  a  gun  turned  upon  it,  he  dashed  up,  and  leap- 
ing from  his  horse  before  its  very  muzzle,  exclaimed  excitedly  :  "  Are  you 
Englishmen,  or  Goth's  and  Vandals  ?  This  is  the  Patent  Office,  the  depository 
of  the  inventive  genius  of  America,  in  which  the  whole  civilized  world  is 
concerned.  Would  you  destroy  it  ?  If  so,  fire  away,  and  let  the  charge  pass 
through  my  body. ' ' 

We  cannot  wonder  at  the  discontent  which  followed  the  meeting  of  Con- 
gress under  such  unfortunate  and  disheartening  conditions,  nor  that  the  occa- 
sion formed  a  pretext  for  those  who  had  fought  the  city  of  Washington  as  a 
permanent  seat  of  government,  to  be  bitter  in  their  expressions  and  criti- 


The  National  Capitol  39 

cisms.  The  city  was  still  little  more  than  a  wilderness ;  the  Capitol,  the 
President's  mansion  and  other  government  buildings  were  ruins.  The  very 
ground  had  been  contaminated  by  the  feet  of  an  insolent,  vandal-like  enemy. 
The  Library  of  Congress  and  many  records  of  the  government  were  ashes. 
In  the  course  of  debate,  Mr.  Stockton,  Representative  from  New  Jersey,  not 
without  cause,  complained,  "  in  regard  to  ourselves,  here  we  are  in  the  Patent 
office ;  in  a  room  not  large  enough  to  furnish  a  seat  for  each  member,  when 
all  are  present,  although  every  spot,  up  to  the  fire-place  and  windows,  is  occu- 
pied." 

Under  the  guise  of  a  temporary  removal,  those  interested  in  other  cities 
pressed  a  permanent  change  in  the  seat  of  government  to  some  more  conve- 
nient and  less  dishonored  spot.  Mr.  Jonathan  Fisk  of  New  York  introduced 
the  initial  resolution  which  led  to  this;  and  in  the  war  of  words  which  en- 
sued, the  ground  was  all  fought  over  before  the  project  for  removal  was  finally 
defeated,  October  i5th,  by  a  vote  of  83  to  74.  Local  feeling  naturally  was 
intense,  and  President  Madison,  who,  in  the  original  debates  in  the  House 
of  Representatives,  had  been  active  in  favoring  the  establishment  of  the  seat 
of  government  upon  the  banks  of  the  Potomac,  had  now  to  exercise  his  utmost 
influence  to  keep  it  there. 

"  The  next  summer  "  (1815),  continues  Jennings,  "  Mr.  John  Law,  a  large 
property  holder  about  the  Capitol,  fearing  it  would  not  be  re-built,  got  up  a 
subscription  and  built  a  large  brick  building  (now  called  the  Old  Capitol, 
where  the  Secesh  prisoners  are  now  confined),  and  offered  it  to  Congress  for 
their  use,  till  the  Capitol  should  be  re-built.  This  coaxed  them  back,  though 
strong  efforts  were  made  to  move  the  seat  of  government  North ;  but  the 
Southern  members  kept  it  here." 

While  yet  in  the  Patent  Office,  both  Houses  had  been  considering  meas- 
ures by  which  they  might  be  more  conveniently  accommodated,  either  by  an 
alteration  of  their  present  chambers  or  by  procuring  other  rooms  within  a 
convenient  distance  of  public  buildings;  and  if  haste  in  acceptance  means 
anything,  they  welcomed  most  cordially  the  proposals  of  the  committee  on 
behalf  of  the  owners  of  the  new  '"  Capitol."  On  December  6,  1815,  the 
committee  on  behalf  of  the  House  reported  that  they  believed  the  building 
would  "  be  ready  for  their  reception  on  Monday  next,"  and  on  Monday,  the 
nth,  the  Senate  adjourned  "  to  meet  on  Wednesday  next,  in  the  new  building 
on  Capitol  Hill."  This,  the  owners  claimed,  cost  $30,000  without  the 
ground,  $5,000  of  which  was  expended  in  fitting  it  up  for  the  use  of  Con- 
gress. They  offered  to  lease  it,  after  the  repayment  of  the  $5,000,  at  a  yearly 
rental  of  $1,650,  which  was  "  an  interest  upon  their  capital  of  six  per  cent., 
with  the  addition  of  the  price  of  insurance  "  ;  and  upon  these  terms  the  Presi- 
dent was  authorized  on  the  8th  to  lease  it  for  a  term  of  one  year,  and  "  thence 
until  the  Capitol  is  in  a  state  of  readiness  for  the  reception  of  Congress." 


40  The  National  Capitol 

Here  Congress  was  still  sitting  when,  on  December  i,  1817,  Monroe  in  his 
annual  message  regretted  that,  though  the  progress  of  the  public  buildings  had 
been  as  favorable  as  circumstances  permitted,  "  the  Capitol  is  not  yet  in  a 
state  to  receive  you.  There  is  good  cause  to  presume,  that  the  two  wings, 
the  only  parts  as  yet  commenced,  will  be  prepared  for  that  purpose  at  the  next 
session."  It  was  not,  however,  until'December  7,  1819,  that  he  could  say  to 
Congress,  who  had  met  the  day  before  :  "  The  public  buildings  being  advanced 
to  a  stage  to  afford  accommodation  for  Congress,  I  offer  you  my  sincere  con- 
gratulations upon  the  recommencement  of  your  duties  in  the  Capitol." 


THE   REBUILDING  OF  THE   CAPITOL 

SOON  after  the  bill  for  the  removal  of  the  seat  of  government  was  defeated 
and  all  chances  in  that  direction  made  hopeless,  at  least  for  the  present, 
measures  were  taken  for  the  restoration  of  the  public  buildings.  Latrobe  was 
recalled  from  Pittsburg,  where  he  was  building  steamboats  in  conjunction  with 
Fulton,  Livingstone  and  Roosevelt,  his  son-in-law,  to  inspect  the  ruins  of  the 
Capitol  and  superintend  its  reconstruction. 

In  the  report  of  the  committee,  communicated  to  Congress  November 
21,  1814,  the  following  is  found  to  be  the  condition  of  the  walls  after  the 
conflagration  :  "  From  the  suggestions  of  the  architects  consulted  and  also  from 
the  observations  of  the  committee,  they  are  of  the  opinion  that  parts  of  the 
walls,  arches  and  columns  of  the  late  buildings  are  in  a  state  requiring  a  small 
expense  for  workmanship  and  materials,  to  preserve  them  from  injury  by  the 
weather,  and  from  falling  down,  thereby  endangering  the  vaulting,  which  sup- 
ports some  of  the  floors,  and  which,  at  present,  is  very  little  if  at  all,  weak- 
ened by  the  burning." 

North  and  South  Wings. — From  Latrobe  we  obtain  a  more  specific 
knowledge  of  the  damage  done  by  the  English,  and  of  the  process  of  rebuild- 
ing. In  a  letter  written  at  the  Capitol,  November  28,  1816,  but  not  com- 
municated to  the  House  of  Representatives  until  February  18,  1817,  he  says: 

"The  South  Wing  of  the  Capitol." — "The  south  wing  of  the  Capitol  remains  inter- 
nally in  the  state  in  which  it  was  left  at  the  close  of  the  year  1815,  excepting  in  as  far  as  the 
suggestions  of  the  committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives  .  .  .  have  been  so  far 
executed  as  to  prepare  the  south  windows  of  their  hall  for  an  access  to  a  platform  along 
the  south  front.  Externally  all  the  injury  which  was  done  to  the  windows  and  doors  by  the 
fire,  has  been  repaired.  .  .  .  The  Hall  of  Representatives  was  so  ruined  that,  although 
the  columns  and  the  vaults  they  supported  still  stood,  it  was  inevitably  necessary  to  take 
them  down,  so  as  to  clear  the  whole  area  of  the  principal  story  of  the  former  work." 

It  seems  that,  when  Congress  resolved  to  repair  and  rebuild  the  Capitol, 
no  building  materials  were  to  be  found  in  the  District.  At  that  time  the 
quarries,  which  were  situated  forty  miles  below  the  city  on  the  Potomac,  had 
been  neglected  for  some  years,  and  time  and  much  labor  would  have  been 
required  to  re-open  them. 

"For  the  columns,"  continues  Latrobe  in  his  report,  "and  for  various  other  parts  of 
the  House  of  Representatives,  no  free-stone  that  could  be  at  all  admitted  has  been  dis- 
covered. Other  resources  were  therefore  sought  after.  A  stone  hitherto  considered  only  as 
an  encumbrance  to  agriculture,  which  exists  in  inexhaustible  quantity  at  the  foot  of  the  most 


42  The  National  Capitol 

south  easterly  range  of  our  Atlantic  mountains,  .  .  .  certainly  from  the  Roanoke  to  the 
Schuylkill,  and  which  the  present  surveyor  of  the  Capitol,  and  probably  others,  had  many 
years  ago  discovered  to  be  very  hard  but  beautiful  marble — was  examined,  and,  .  .  . 
has  been  proved  to  answer  every  expectation  that  was  formed,  not  only  of  its  beauty,  but  of 
its  capacity  to  furnish  columns  of  any  length,  and  to  be  applicable  to  any  purpose  to  which 
colored  marble  can  be  applied.  The  present  commissioner  of  the  public  buildings  has, 
therefore,  entered  into  a  contract  for  all  the  columns,  and  progress  has  been  made  in  quarry- 
ing them!  They  may  be  produced  each  of  a  single  block.  .  .  .  The  quarries  are  situ- 
ated in  Loudon  County,  Virginia,  and  Montgomery  County,  Maryland. 

"  North  Wing  of  the  Capitol." — "  The  north  wing  of  the  Capitol  was  left  after  the 
fire  in  a  much  more  ruinous  state  than  the  south  wing.  The  whole  of  the  interior  of  the 
west  side  having  been  constructed  of  timber,  and  the  old  shingle  roof  still  remaining  over 
the  greatest  part  of  the  wing,  an  intensity  of  heat  was  produced  which  burnt  the  walls  most 
exposed  to  it,  and,  being  driven  by  the  wind  into  the  Senate  chamber,  burnt  the  marble 
columns  to  lime,  cracked  everything  that  was  of  free-stone,  and,  finding  vent  through  the 
windows  and  up  the  private  stairs,  damaged  the  exterior  of  the  wing  very  materially.  Great 
efforts  were  made  to  destroy  the  court  room,  which  was  built  with  uncommon  solidity,  by 
collecting  into  it,  and  setting  fire  to,  the  furniture  of  the  adjacent  rooms.  By  this  means 
the  columns  were  cracked  exceedingly;  but  it  still  stood,  and  the  vault  was  uninjured.  It 
was,  however,  very  slenderly  supported  and  its  condition  dangerous.  Of  the  Senate  cham- 
ber no  parts  were  injured  but  such  as  were  of  marble  or  free-stone.  The  vault  was  entire, 
and  required  no  repair  whatever.  The  great  staircase  was  much  defaced,  but  might  have 
been  reinstated  without  being  taken  down. 

"  In  this  state  the  north  wing  was  found  when  the  work  on  the  Capitol  was  commenced 
in  1815.  The  plan  of  the  wing  was  determined  in  1807,  and  laid  before  Congress.  The 
original  document  having  escaped  destruction,  the  work  was  begun  in  conformity  thereto, 
and  some  progress  made  in  the  construction  of  the  offices  of  the  judiciary  and  of  the  library, 
when  a  very  important  and  extensive  improvement  of  the  apartments  of  Senate  was  sug- 
gested by  the  honorable  body,  and  ordered  by  the  President  to  be  carried  into  execution. 

"  In  pursuance  of  this  order,  it  was  necessary  to  take  down  the  vaults  which  had  been 
constructed  on  the  west  side  of  the  house- and  to  raise  them  to  the  level  of  the  principal  floor. 
This  alteration  was  the  only  one  which  affected  the  work  carried  up  in  the  year  1815.  It  was 
affected  in  the  months  of  May  and  June.  The  ruinous  state  of  the  building  further  required 
that  the  dome  of  the  central  vestibule,  the  colonnade,  and  all  the  vaulting  of  the  court 
room,  and  the  dome  of  the  great  stairs,  with  all  the  walls  as  far  as  they  were  injured,  should 
be  taken  down.  The  enlargement  of  the  Senate  chamber  required  that  the  great  dome  of 
that  apartment  and  its  semi-circular  wall  be  entirely  removed,  and  that  the  arches  and  walls 
of  the  two  committee  rooms,  and  the  lobby  adjoining  the  chamber,  should  also  be  demol- 
ished. All  this  was  promptly  accomplished,  and  the  new  apartments  carried  up  with  all  the 
speed  which  was  consistent  with  solidity  ;  so  that  all  the  committee  rooms  on  the  floor  of 
the  Senate  are  completely  constructed  and  vaulted,  and  the  wall  of  the  Senate  chamber 
itself  has  advanced  to  the  height  of  ten  feet  from  the  floor. 

"  The  new  vault  of  the  court  room,  much  more  extensive  than  the  former,  is  also  com- 
pleted. All  the  new  work  is  so  constructed  as  in  no  part  whatever  to  bear  on  the  old  walls, 
but  to  serve  as  a  support  to  them  ;  and  the  whole  is  so  bound  and  connected  together  as  to 
render  the  building  much  more  strong  and  durable  than  it  was  before  the  conflagration." 

About  this  time  Jefferson  writes  to  the  Secretary  of  State  :  t{  If  it  be  pro- 
posed to  place  an  inscription  on  the  Capitol,  the  lapidary  style  requires  that 


The  National  Capitol  45 

essential  facts  only  should  be  stated,  and  these  with  a  brevity  admitting  no 
superfluous  word.     The  essential  facts  in  the  two  inscriptions  are  these : 

"  Founded  1791. — Burnt  by  a  British  Army  1814. — Restored  by  Congress 
1817. 

"  .  .  .  But  a  question  of  more  importance  is  whether  there  should  be 
one  at  all  ?  The  barbarism  of  the  conflagration  will  immortalize  that  of  the 
nation.  It  will  place  them  forever  in  degraded  comparison  with  the  execrated 
Bonaparte,  who,  in  possession  of  almost  every  capitol  in  Europe,  injured  no 
one." 

In  its  construction  and  rebuilding  the  Capitol  was  never  without  the  direct 
supervision  of  the  Presidents.  Washington,  Adams,  Jefferson,  Madison, 
Monroe  and  John  Quincy  Adams,  each  in  turn,  presided  over  its  destiny 
and  often  descended  to  the  consideration  of  the  most  minute  details  with  a 
grace  rather  startling  to  the  ideas  of  dignity  commensurate  with  the  office 
in  the  minds  of  some  later  Presidents.  During  the  work  of  restoration,  in  the 
spring  of  1817,  President  Monroe  guarded  its  rebuilding  with  a  fatherlj 
concern  almost  equal  to  that  displayed  by  Washington  in  its  building.  He 
gave  directions  as  to  the  Potomac  marble  to  be  usedxin  the  columns  for  the 
chambers  of  the  House  of  Representatives  and  Seriate  and  as  to  the  quarry- 
ing of  the  same,  not  forgetting  instructions  for  the  workmen.  He  ordered 
that  the  dome  of  the  Senate  wing  be  built  of  brick  and  the  corresponding 
one  above  the  House  of  Representatives,  of  wood,  adding  specific  directions 
as  to  where  and  how  materials  for  each  should  be  obtained.  He  urged, 
beyond  everything,  the  necessity  of  so  far  completing  the  building  as  to  have 
it  in  readiness  for  the  meeting  of  Congress  the  following  fall.  The  President 
considered  even  the  "tools,  lumber,  nails,  spikes  and  provisions "  for  the 
Capitol,  and  ordered  "  sheds  to  be  erected  for  the  workmen,  for  cooking  and 
as  store  houses  without  delay."  At  the  same  time,  he  gave  directions  for  the 
distribution  of  provisions  to  the  employes,  the  keeping  of  accounts  and 
receipts,  and  for  a  report  to  be  made  to  the  Executive  each  Monday  regard- 
ing the  progress  on  the  work. 

In  November,  1817,  the  two  wings  being  practically  restored,  Latrobe  sent 
in  his  resignation  and  retired  from  the  work,  except  to  carry  out  in  good 
faith  the  offer  he  had  made  in  his  letter  of  resignation,  to  give  such  drawings, 
instructions  and  information  to  the  public  as  would  enable  his  successor  to 
complete  the  plans  which  he  had  begun  and  which,  he  seemed  to  think,  could 
not  well  be  altered.  His  motives  for  retiring,  by  his  own  account,  were 
"partly  personal,"  and  though  there  was  an  undoubted  difference  between 
him  and  the  Commissioner,  and  many  complaints  that  he  attended  to  his  pri- 
vate affairs  to  the  detriment  of  the  work  at  the  Capitol,  there  can  be  little 


44  The   National  Capitol 

doubt  of  his  sincere  attachment  to  the  welfare  of  the  building.  Nor  would 
his  ability  as  an  architect  have  been  seriously  questioned,  had  not  an  arch 
given  way  in  1808,  causing  the  death  of  Mr.  Lenthall,  and  later,  one  above 
the  corridor  before  the  Supreme  Court  Chamber.  In  commenting  upon  the 
latter  in  a  report  made  January  18,  1819,  after  his  resignation,  Latrobe  says  : 

"  The  centre  of  the  north  wing  demanded  light  from  above  ;  and  its  symmetry  with 
the  south  wing,  which  could  only  be  lighted  by  a  cupola,  demanded  a  similar  construction 
on  the  north  wing. 

"  Therefore  it  was  almost  unavoidable,  and  certainly  it  was  highly  advisable,  that  the 
chimneys  should  be  carried  up  as  well  as  concealed  in  the  piers  of  the  cupola.  This  had 
been  done  before,  and,  although  the  cupola  was  never  raised  above  the  dome,  its  base  had 
existed,  and,  with  the  arches  that  supported  it,  remained  unimpaired  by  the  fire  of  1814. 

"  •  .  .  But,  deprived  of  this  support,  the  object  I  had  to  attain  was  this  :  To  con- 
struct over  the  cavity  of  the  Senate  chamber  and  its  wooden  dome  an  arch  or  other  support 
sufficient  to  bear  the  cupola  necessary  to  light  the  centre  of  the  house,  and  also  to  carry  six- 
teen or  eighteen  chimneys  concealed  in  the  cupola,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  produce  a 
handsome  effect  in  looking  up  from  the  vestibule  of  the  Senate,  from  which  the  whole  con- 
struction would  be  seen.  And  I  believe  that  I  perfectly  attained  this  object  in  all  its 
parts,  provided  the  arch  had  been  made  to  stand." 

We  undoubtedly  owe  to  Latrobe  the  restoration  and  interior  finish  of  the 
old  wings,  as  well  as  their  surmounting  cupolas  and  dome-shaped  roofs. 
Statuary  Hall,  also,  was  his  design.  The  old  Capitol  could  not  be  called 
completed,  however,  until  1830,  thirteen  years  after  Lat robe's  resignation  and 
the  succession  to  his  position  of  Charles  Bulfinch  of  Boston,  the  first 
architect  of  the  Capitol  who  was  American-born.  During  a  visit  to  Washing- 
ton before  he  had  the  intention  of  making  it  his  home,  in  a  letter  of  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1817,  to  Mrs.  H.  Bulfinch,  Latrobe's  successor  writes:  "Nothing 
announces  a  metropolis  until  we  approach  an  assemblage  of  brick  houses, 
forming  a  village,  and  immediately  contiguous  to  them  two  stone  edifices  of 
richly  ornamented  architecture.  These  are  the  wings  of  the  Congress  hall ; 
they  were  burnt,  as  far  as  they  were  combustible,  and  are  now  undergoing 
repair.  They  have  been  chiselled  in  such  a  manner  that  all  external  marks 
of  fire  are  removed." 

How  Bulfinch  came  to  be  architect  of  the  Capitol  is  told  by  himself  in 
his  brief  Autobiography:  "About  November  following  [1817],  I  received  a 
letter  from  William  Lee  Esq.,  one  of  the  Auditors  at  Washington,  and  in 
the  confidence  of  the  President,  stating  the  probability  of  the  removal  of  Mr. 
Latrobe,  the  architect  of  the  Capitol,  and  proposing  that  I  should  apply  for 
his  place.  I  declined  making  any  application  that  might  lead  to  Mr.  La- 
trobe's removal ;  but  before  the  end  of  the  year,  disagreements  between  him 
and  the  Commissioner  became  so  serious  that  he  determined  to  resign,  and 
his  resignation  was  immediately  accepted.  On  receiving  information  of  this, 


The  National  Capitol  45 

in  another  letter  from  Mr.  Lee,  I  made  regular  application  through  J.  Q.  A., 
Secretary  of  State,  and  by  return  Post  received  notice  from  him  of  my  ap- 
pointment, with  a  salary  of  $2,500,  and  expenses  paid  of  removal  of  family 
and  furniture." 

The  new  architect  entered  immediately  upon  his  duties,  taking  the  work 
up  where  Latrobe  had  left  it;  and  on  the  ist  of  May,  1818,  made  a  report  to 
Congress,  to  which  the  last  report  of  Latrobe  was  a  reply,  on  the  state  of  the 
unfortunate  arch  constructed  by  his  predecessor  in  the  roof  of  the  north  wing, 
from  which  the  following  interesting  extracts  are  taken  : 

"  When  I  entered  upon  the  duties  of  my  office  as  architect  of  the  Capitol,  and  ex- 
amined the  state  of  the  building,  I  found  that  a  large  arch  had  been  built  above  the  third 
story  of  the  north  wing,  which  was  intended  to  support  the  stone  cupola  or  lantern  on  the 
centre  of  the  dome.  I  was  pleased  with  the  ingenuity  and  boldness  of  the  design  by  which 
it  was  intended  that  a  great  number  of  chimneys  should  be  carried  upon  this  arch,  and  rise 
in  the  piers  of  the  cupola  between  its  windows.  ...  I  was  told  that  this  arch  had  been 
constructed  under  the  particular  direction  of  Mr.  Latrobe,  and  that  the  stones  of  the  band 
or  curb  that  formed  the  opening  on  the  crown  of  the  arch  were  cut  by  his  particular  orders, 
and  put  in  their  places  before  he  left  the  superintendence  of  the  building.  I  felt  perfect 
confidence  in  Mr.  Latrobe's  genius  as  an  architect,  and  his  acknowledged  skill  as  an  engi- 
neer, that  he  had  well  considered  the  hazard  of  the  proposed  construction,  and  had  taken 
every  precaution  against  danger  ;  and  I  gave  direction  to  the  workmen  to  proceed  strictly 
according  to  their  orders  from  him. 

"  By  the  23d  of  April  the  chimney  flues  were  all  brought  into  their  position  on  the 
crown  of  the  arch,  when  the  master  workman  thought  it  would  be  proper  to  loosen  the  cen- 
tres, that  the  arch  might  be  proved  and  take  its  bearings  before  the  stone  cupola  should  be 
built.  On  loosening  the  centre,  it  was  found  that  the  crown  of  the  arch  settled  with  it,  and 
that  the  stones  around  the  circular  opening  had  moved  in  a  few  minutes  so  far  as  that  the 
opening  was  four  inches  larger  in  one  direction  than  in  the  other  ;  the  joints  appearing  vio- 
lently compressed  in  some  parts,  and  open  on  the  others.  The  workmen  left  it  in  alarm 
and  considered  it  very  hazardous.  I  soon  came  to  the  determination  that  the  arch  could  not 
bear  the  weight  of  the  flues  and  stone  cupola,  estimated  at  200  tons  more  than  it  was 
already  charged  with  ;  and,  after  inspecting  the  foundation  resolved  to  build  a  cone  of 
brick  from  the  bottom  of  the  dome  to  the  circular  opening  above,  for  the  purpose  of 
strengthening  the  arch  and  supporting  the  cupola.  .  . 

"  The  great  arch  in  the  roof  of  the  north  wing  is  40  feet  in- span  from  north  to  south, 
and  30  ft.  wide  from  east  to  west,  and  rises  in  a  semi-circle  ;  it  is  intended  to  support  a 
stone  cupola  22  ft.  in  diameter,  with  6  windows  in  its  circumference,  and  as  many  piers 
between  them,  in  which  18  chimney  flues  are  to  be  carried  up  from  the  different  apart- 
ments of  the  building.  A  circular  opening  is  made  in  the  crown  of  the  arch  15  ft.  wide 
(the  inner  diameter  of  the  cupola),  to  convey  light  to  the  interior,  and  particularly  to  the 
vestibule  of  the  Senate  chamber.  .  .  . 

"  One  cause  of  the  failure  of  this  arch  arises  from  the  circumstance  that  the  circular 
opening  is  not  in  the  centre.  .  .  .  On  taking  down  the  centring  which  opened  the 
soffit  or  under  side  of  the  arch  to  view,  another  cause  of  weakness  appeared  ;  the  arch, 
which  is  two  bricks  thick,  is  ornamented  with  large  caissons  or  coffers  of  three  feet  square, 
sunk  in  the  depth  of  one  brick,  or  half  its  thickness  ;  these  destroy  the  bond  and  connec- 
tion of  the  work.  ...  It  would  be  dangerous  to  trust  the  arch  to  bear  the  weight." 


46  The  National  Capitol 

Later  in  the  same  month,  Bulfinch  reports  : 

"  A  cone  of  brick  has  been  made  under  the  opening  of  the  arch  ;  the  chimney  flues  are 
now  brought  into  their  right  position,  and  carried  up  to  the  top  of  the  dome  roof.  The 
work  appears  fair  and  substantial,  and  capable  of  sustaining  the  stone  lantern  which  will 
.now  immediately  be  built  upon  it." 

The  architect  continued  to  devote  himself  assiduously  to  the  completion 
of  the  two  wings  only-,  as  they  were  most  necessary  to  the  use  and  comfort 
of  Congress.  On  November  21,  1818,  he  reports  regarding  the  condition  of 
the  north  wing : 

"  The  stone  masons  have  built,  on  the  outside,  the  entire  balustrade  of  the  east  and 
west  sides,  and  the  attic  of  the  north  front,  and  the  stone  cupola  over  the  dome.  Inside, 
they  have  laid  the  marble  stairs  leading  to  the  principal  floor,  completed  the  colonnade  of 
the  vestibule  and  part  of  the  gallery  of  the  Senate  chamber.  The  roof  has  been  covered 
with  copper  ;  the  apartments  and  passages  of  the  upper  story  are  plastered  and  paved  ;  and 
the  doors,  shutters,  and  other  carpenter's  work  will  be  finished  in  a  few  days.  The  court 
room  is  proceeding  in  a  state  of  preparation  for  the  use  of  the  court  in  December.  The 
ceiling  of  the  Senate  chamber  is  rough  plastered.  .  .  .  The  rich  and  costly  colonnade 
and  gallery  of  the  Senate  chamber  .  .  .  is  to  be  wholly  of  marble,  and  was  contracted 
for  in  New  York  to  be  executed  there,  and  to  be  delivered  here  in  November,  1817." 

In  speaking  of  the  progress  on  the  south  wing,  in  the  same  report,  Bulfinch 
says  : 

"  The  columns  of  Potomac  marble  of  the  Representatives  room  have  been  prepared  and 
set  in  their  places  ;  the  stone  entablature,  with  which  they  are  crowned,  and  the  brick 
arches  connecting  them  with  the  walls,  are  built  ;  the  stone  enclosure  forming  the  breast  of 
the  gallery  is  nearly  complete  ;  the  ribs  of  the  dome  ceiling  are  raised  and  secured  ;  the 
outer  roof  is  now  raising  and  will  be  covered  in  a  fortnight,  and  the  ballastrade  is  nearly 
entire." 

From  these  and  other  reports  and  letters  of  this  period  are  seen  the  diffi- 
culty experienced  and  the  interest  taken  in  securing  suitable  marble  for  the 
beautiful  pillars  which  adorn  the  old  Senate  Chamber,  and  more  especially 
the  old  Hall  of  Representatives.  The  desire  was  so  great  on  the  part  of  the 
Commissioner  and  architect  that,  after  securing  sufficient  breccia  or  Potomac 
marble  for  the  shafts  from  the  quarries  in  Loudon  County,  Virginia,  Giovanni 
Andrei  was  sent  in  1815  to  Carrara,  Italy,  to  procure  of  statuary  marble  their 
twenty-four  Corinthian  capitals.  Latrobe,  then  architect  of  the  Capitol, 
furnished  the  necessary  drawings  to  govern  in  the  execution  of  these,  and 
passage  was  provided  for  the  artist,  as  well  as  for  Mrs.  Andrei,  his  wife,  on 
the  United  States  corvette,  John  Adams. 

The  Central  Structure. — Previous  to  the  fire  a  wooden  bridge  or  cov- 
ered way  only  had  connected  the  two  wings.  As  soon  as  these  were  restored, 
and  completed  in  accordance  with  Latrobe's  designs,  Bulfinch  turned  his 


The  National  Capitol  47 

attention  to  the  central  structure,  which,  except  upon  the  west,  he  executed 
after  drawings  adapted  from  the  designs  which  Latrobe  had  made  in  following 
— but  only  where  compelled  to  do  so — Thornton's  original  plan.  The  former 
architect  in  his  designs  had  enlarged  the  eastern  portico,  and  added  sub- 
stantially the  present  steps  which  lead  from  it  to  the  campus.  To  prepare  for 
the  new  work,  it  was  found  necessary  on  the  west  front  to  remove  a  great  body 
of  earth,  rubbish  and  old  foundation,  and  to  broaden  the  old  foundation  of 
the  basement  story.  On  November  18,  1818,  the  architect  reports  its  new 
foundation  as  laid,  the  cellar  walls  of  the  rotunda  as  carried  to  a  sufficient 
height  to  receive  the  arches  intended  to  form  the  ground  floor,  and  the  exter- 
nal walls  of  the  basement  as  commenced.  The  central  porticoes  and  library 
rooms  also  were  now  built.  The  entire  work  progressed  but  slowly,  however, 
as  all  work  for  the  government  is  likely  to  do,  and  not  until  December  6, 
1824,  was  the  President  notified:  "The  interior  of  the  Capitol  is  now  fin- 
ished, with  the  exception  of  some  painting  on  the  stone  work,  which  is  not 
sufficiently  seasoned  to  receive  it,  and  the  bas  relief  ornaments  of  the  rotunda." 

The  architect's  bed  evidently  had  not  been  one  of  roses  ;  for  John  Trum- 
bull  speaks  of  the  "  intrigues  which  perpetually  controlled  the  good  inten- 
tions and  pure  taste  of  Mr.  Bulfinch."  Trumbull  seems  to  have  enjoyed  the 
architect's  confidence,  and  to  have  been  consulted  in  the  plans  for  the  central 
structure.  Bulfinch,  at  first,  proposed  a  staircase  similar  to  the  one  in  the 
City  Hall  in  New  York,  but,  as  it  would  be  imperfect  without  a  dome  light, 
which,  in  such  a  plan,  could  not  come  in  the  center  of  the  building,  Trum- 
bull apprehensively  asked :  "  How  then  can  you  have  the  grand  dome,  even 
for  show?"  Such  propositions  touched  the  artist's  heart.  He  was  then 
at  work  upon  his  historical  pictures  which  are  now  in  the  rotunda.  In 
regard  to  the  saloon  proposed  by  the  architect  for  a  gallery  of  paintings, 
Trumbull  complains  :  "  The  pictures  must  hang  opposite  to  the  windows, 
which  is  the  worst  possible  light;  besides  which,  the  columns  and  projection 
of  the  portico  will  darken  the  room  in  some  degree,  and  render  what  light 
there  may  be,  partial  and  unsteady." 

"  I  am  glad,"  he  writes  to  Bulfinch,  January  28,  1818,  "  to  know  that  so 
much  is  done,  and  magnificently  done,  at  the  Capitol ;  but  I  feel  the  deepest 
regret  at  the  idea  of  abandoning  the  great  circular  room  and  dome.  I  have 
never  seen  paintings  so  advantageously  placed  in  respect  to  light  and  space,  as 
I  think  mine  would  be,  in  the  proposed  circular  room,  illuminated  from  above. 
The  boasted  gallery  of  the  Louvre  is  execrable  for  paintings — windows  on  each 
side,  and  opposite  to  each  other,  and  the  pictures  hanging  not  only  between 
them  but  opposite  to  them.  .  .  .  The  same  objection  applies  in  its  full 
force,  to  the  proposed  saloon  or  gallery  in  the  Capitol ;  and  I  should  be 
deeply  mortified,  if,  after  having  devoted  my  life  to  recording  the  great  events 
of  the  Revolution,  my  paintings,  when  finished,  should  be  placed  in  a  disad- 


48  The  National  Capitol 

vantageous  light.  In  truth,  my  dear  friend,  it  would  paralyze  my  exertions, 
for  bad  pictures  are  nearly  equal  to  good,  when  both  are  placed  in  a  bad 
light." 

The  artist,  with  a  view  always  to  his  pictures,  hastened  to  suggest  com- 
promise plans  by  which  to  save  the  dome,  if  possible.  He  proposed  to  "  en- 
close the  basement  story  of  the  two  porticos,  in  the  same  style  of  piers  and 
arches,  as  in  the  wings,  and  to  enter,  under  each  portico,  a  hall  forty-five  feet 
by  twenty,  with  apartments  for  door-keepers  adjoining — to  open  a  passage 
through  the  centre  of  the  building,  similar  in  style  and  dimensions  to  those 
already  existing  in  the  wings,  which  I  also  continue  so  as  to  meet  each  other, 
thus  forming  a  simple  and  obvious  communication  to  all  parts  of  the  ground 
plan.  I  suppose  the  inner  diameter  of  the  grand  circular  dome  to  be  ninety 
feet,  and  the  thickness  of  the  wall  five.  Nine  feet  within  this  wall,  I  carry 
up  a  concentric  circular  wall  of  equal  thickness  to  the  height  of  the  basement 
story.  Between  these  two  walls  I  place  grand  quadruple  stairs,  beginning  at 
the  doors  of  the  two  halls,  and  mounting  on  the  right  and  left,  to  the  floor 
of  the  dome  vestibule.  Twenty  feet  within  this  inner  wall  of  the  stairs,  I 
raise  a  third  concentric  circular  wall,  of  equal,  or  (if  required)  greater 
solidity." 

Around  the  inner  walls  of  the  stairs  was  to  be  a  bronze  railing  five  feet 
high,  with  gates  at  the  four  entrances,  by  which  it  was  intended  to  diminish 
the  floor  of  the  vestibule  to  seventy  feet  in  diameter,  so  that  the  spectator 
could  not  approach  nearer  than  ten  feet  to  the  wall  on  which  his  paintings 
were  to  hang,  nor  view  them  at  a  greater  distance  than  eighty  feet,  which 
being  a  little  more  than  three  diagonals  of  the  surface,  the  artist  thought  not 
by  any  means  too  great. 

Trumbull  urged  also  that,  whatever  dislike  there  might  be  to  Latrobe's 
designs  in  general,  there  could  be  none  to  that  for  the  rotunda  and  dome ;  for 
there  the  late  architect  had  followed  the  original  intentions,  he  said,  "  as 
projected  by  Major  L' Enfant,  drawn  by  Dr.  Thornton,  and  adopted  by  General 
Washington.  You  will  see  it  so  marked  on  the  plan  of  the  city  engraved  by 
Thackera  &  Vallence,  in  Philadelphia,  in  1792."  "My  plan,"  he  adds, 
"  differs  from  that  finally  adopted  by  him,  essentially,  in  carrying  up  the  grand 
staircase  within  the  room,  thus  rendering  it  a  guard  to  the  paintings,  and 
leaving  the  basement  of  the  two  porticos,  and  the  whole  substructure,  free  and 
applicable  to  economical  purposes.  I  also  omit  the  grand  niches  which  M. 
Latrobe  had  devised,  I  presume  for  the  purpose  of  sculpture.  ...  I  hope 
.  .  .  either  upon  my  plan  or  some  other,  you  can  succeed  to  preserve  the 
great  central  circular  room.  Indeed,  I  must  entreat  you  to  preserve  it  if  pos- 
sible ;  and  I  repeat,  that  the  loss  of  that,  in  my  opinion,  unrivalled  situation 
and  light  for  my  pictures,  I  shall  lose  half  my  zeal." 

Trumbull 's  earnest  appeals  on  behalf  of  his  historical  paintings,  no  doubt, 


The  National  Capitol 


49 


had  their  influence.  Bulfinch  wholly  discarded  Latrobe's  Doric  temple  pro- 
posed for  a  western  entrance,  and  executed  this  part  of  the  Capitol  mainly 
after  his  own  designs.  He  adopted  a  plan  by  which  he  gained  space  for  the 
Library  in  the  western  center,  and  at  the  same  time  saved  the  dome. 
His  administration  saw  the  building  at  last  reach  a  symmetry  and  convenience 
somewhat  adapted,  for  that  period  at  least,  to  the  uses  for  which  it  was 


THE   CAPITOL,    1828 

intended.  The  fault  in  placing  the  structure  so  close  to  the  brow  of  the  hill 
as  to  exhibit  a  story  lower  on  its  western  front  than  on  its  eastern  also  was 
partially  remedied  through  the  skill  of  the  architect,  who  somewhat  destroyed 
the  ungainly  effect  of  the  basement  by  a  semi -circular  glacis,  or  sloping, 
sodded  terrace. 

By  an  act  of  May  2,  1828,  there  being  no  longer  any  necessity  for  an 
architect  at  the  Capitol,  that  office  was  abolished,  though  Bulfinch  continued 
to  superintend  the  work  until  the  latter  part  of  June,  1829.  In  1830,  when 
the  architect  left  Washington  for  New  England,  the  old  Capitol  was  substan- 
tially completed,  though  some  minor  details  were  later  executed  according  to 
directions  which  he  gave  before  his  departure.  The  building  then  passed 
4 


The  National  Capitol 


under  the  direction  of  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds,  who 
remained  in  supervision  until  the  erection  of  the  marble  extensions  in  1851. 

Cuts  of  this  period  show  three  domes,  of  which  the  one  in  the  center 
above  the  rotunda  was  covered  with  copper,  and  much  the  largest.  This  was 
raised  after  Bulfinch's  own  design  about  1822  ;  those  proposed  by  Thorn- 
ton and  Latrobe  were  not  so  large.  "  In 
the  rotunda,"  writes  Bui  finch,  "  a  bold 
simplicity  has  been  studied,  suitable  to 
a  great  central  entrance  and  passage  to 
more  richly  finished  apartments.  The 
room  is  96  feet  in  diameter,  and  of  the 
same  height."  The  length  of  the  en- 
tire building  at  that  time  was  352  feet 
4  inches;  the  depth  of  the  wings  121 
feet  6  inches.  The  portico  and  steps, 
at  the  main  entrance  on  the  east  front, 
projected  65  feet ;  while  those  on  the 
west  extended  83  feet.  The  height  of 
the  wings,  to  the  top  of  the  balustrade, 
was  69  feet  and  6  inches ;  to  the  top  of 
the  old  dome,  145  feet.  Actual  meas- 
urement shows  the  width  of  the  present 
rotunda,  which  was  not  altered  by  Walter 
in  his  elevation  of  the  dome,  to  be  97 

feet  8  inches.  The  cost  of  the  center  building  from  April  20,  1818,  to  May  2, 
1828,  is  placed  in  the  estimates  of  the  Treasury  Department  at  $1,108,904.43. 
The  old  Capitol  covered  67,220  square  feet  of  ground;  and  its  parking 
contained  22^  acres.  In  the  old  days,  the  park  was  enjoyed  to  the  fullest 
extent  by  the  public.  Croquet  grounds  were  marked  off  for  the  pleasure  of 
those  who  lived  near  the  Capitol  ;  and  until  the  commencement  of  the  new 
terrace,  the  grounds  were  yearly  the  scene  of  much  merriment  on  Easter,  when 
the  sodded  embankments  were  given  up  to  children  for  egg-rolling.  The 
parking  was  enclosed  until  about  1874  by  an  iron  fence  except  where  the 
nine  gates — two  for  carriages  both  north  and  south,  two  for  pedestrians  on 
the  east  and  three  for  them  on  the  west — opened  to  the  walks  and  drives. 
Portions  of  the  original  fence  and  gates  are  still  to  be  seen  about  the 
grounds  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  They  recall  to  the  older  inhabitants 
of  the  District  the  watchman's  cry  about  nine  o'clock,  P.M.,  from  the  east 
front  of  the  building:  "Close  the  gates!"  The  driveway  gates  were  not 
locked  until  much  later  than  those  to  the  walks.  Congressmen,  delayed 
at  the  Capitol,  were  often  seen  to  pick  up  a  convenient  stone  and  break  a 
lock  rather  than  seek  peaceful  exit. 


MARBLE   EXTENSIONS 

NOT  many  years  elapsed  before  it  became  evident  that  the  Capitol  was  not 
sufficiently  commodious  to  meet  the  purposes  for  which  it  had  been  built,  and 
that  even  the  masterly  forethought  of  George  Washington  regarding  Congress 
House  had  failed  to  realize  the  demands  soon  to  be  made  upon  its  capacity 
by  increase  of  population,  the  admission  of  new  States  and  the  acquisition 
of  vast  territory. 

As  early  as   1843,  the  Senate  concurred  in  a  House  resolution  providing 

"  That  the  Secretary  of  War  be  requested  to  cause  a  plan  and  estimates  to  be 

prepared  at  the  Topographical  Bureau,  or  otherwise  within  his  Department, 

and  laid  before  Congress  at  its  next  session,  for  a  room  or  apartment  in  the 


THE  CAPITOL,    1850 


The  National  Capitol 


Capitol,  or  to  be  added  thereto,  for  the  better  accommodation  of  the  sittings 
of  the  House  of  Representatives."  Colonel  Abert  and  Lieutenant  Hum- 
phries, of  the  Topographical  Bureau,  and  William  Strickland,  the  architect, 

accordingly  prepared  a  plan  for  the  en- 
largement of  the  building  by  means  of  a 
south  wing  extending  103^  feet  and  hav- 
ing a  breadth  of  152^  feet.  No  further 
action,  however,  was  taken  by  Congress 
at  the  time. 

On  May  i,  1850,  in  reply  to  a  letter 
from  Jefferson  Davis,  then  a  member  of 
the  Senate  Committee  on  Public  Build- 
ings, architect  Robert  Mills  submitted  a 
report,  drawings  and  estimates  for  the 
extension  of  the  Capitol  by  means  of  two 
wings  and  for  the  enlargement  of  the 
dome.  The  idea  of  two  wings  seems  bet- 
ter to  have  met  the  views  of  the  Senate. 
On  the  2 8th  of  the  same  month,  Chairman 
R.  M.  T.  Hunter  reported  a  plan  which, 
though  suggested  by  the  work  of  the  Top- 
ographical Bureau,  had  been  materially 
altered  by  Mills;  and  on  the  ipth  of  the 
following  September,  when  the  civil  and 
diplomatic  appropriation  bill  was  before 
the  Senate,  Mr.  Davis  offered  an  amend- 
ment, which  was  adopted,  providing  for 
the  enlargement  of  the  Capitol  according 
to  plans  to  be  agreed  upon  by  a  joint 
committee  of  both  Houses,  and  for  the 
payment  of  $100,000  for  each  wing.  The 
money  was  to  be  expended  under  the  di- 
rection of  the  President,  who  was  au- 
thorized to  appoint  an  architect  to  carry 
out  whatever  plans  were  adopted.  The 

House  cut  down  this  appropriation  one-half;  and  otherwise  modified  the 
language,  so  that  the  act,  approved  September  30,  1850,  left  to  the  President 
the  approval  of  the  plans  as  well  as  the  appointment  of  the  architect.  This 
indicates  that  they  had  not  the  same  preference  for  Mills  which  Davis 
enjoyed  ;  and  following  the  advertisement  for  and  submission  of  plans,  those 
of  T.  U.  Walter  of  Philadelphia,  the  architect  of  the  Girard  College,  were 
accepted  by  President  Fillmore.  Walter  proposed  white  marble  as  the 


The  National  Capitol  53 

building  material;  and  that  it  might  not  be  out  of  harmony  with  the  main 
structure,  he  advised  painting  the  freestone  of  the  old  building  to  match,  or 
even  facing  it  with  marble.  He  was  appointed  architect  in  the  early  part  of 
1851,  and  his  designs  were  formally  approved  by  the  President  in  June  of  that 
year.  In  the  construction  of  the  extensions,  as  well  as  of  the  dome,  General 
Montgomery  C.  Meigs,  then  Captain  of  Engineers,  and  W.  B.  Franklin, 
Captain  of  Topographical  Engineers,  also  rendered  valuable  service. 

Laying  of  the  Corner-stone. — The  following  account  of  the  laying  of 
the  corner-stone  of  the  extensions,  July  4,  1851,  is  taken  from  the  National 
Intelligencer  of  the  yth  : 

The  National  anniversary  was,  in  its  important  incidents,  the  fineness  of  the  weather, 
and  its  freedom  from  all  untoward  occurrences,  perhaps  the  most  interesting  and  agreeable 
ever  enjoyed  in  this  capital. 

The  day  was  ushered  in  by  salutes  of  artillery  from  different  points  of  the  city,  and,  as 
the  glorious  sun  gilded  our  tallest  spires,  and  shed  a  lustre  on  the  dome  of  the  Capitol,  it 
was  welcomed  by  a  display  of  National  Flags  and  the  ringing  of  bells  from  the  various 
churches  and  engine  houses.  Thousands  of  visitors  from  Georgetown,  Alexandria,  Prince 
George's,  Montgomery,  Virginia,  and  Baltimore  poured  in  by  every  kind  of  conveyance.  A 
very  large  proportion  of  these  hastened  to  the  Capitol,  in  hopes  to  secure  an  eligible  place 
from  which  to  hear  Mr.  Webster's  speech  ;  others  again  pressed  their  way  to  the  City  Hall, 
to  witness  the  first  moving  of  the  procession. 

In  the  large  Council  Chamber  of  the  City  Hall  were  assembled  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  the  Members  of  the  Cabinet,  Officers  of  the  Army  and  Navy  in  full  uniform, 
the  Mayor  and  Members  of  the  Corporation,  and  various  civil  officers. 

At  the  appointed  hour  the  various  bodies  were  drawn  into  line.  The  first  division 
of  the  procession  was  for  the  most  part  of  visiting  and  local  military  companies.  The 
array  of  officers  of  the  Army  and  Navy  was  one  of  the  most  imposing  features  of  the 
pageant,  including  amongst  them  30  or  40  brave  veterans  with  the  Commander-in-Chief 
Scott  at  the  head  of  the  Military  Division,  and  Commodore  Morris  at  the  head  of  the 
Naval,  all  in  full  uniform  ;  Officers  of  the  several  States  and  Territories  ;  officers  and  sol- 
diers of  the  Revolution  ;  and  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  War  of  1812. 

Then  came  the  Civic  Procession,  composing  the  second,  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  divi- 
sions of  the  program  : 

The  second  division  was  under  Dr.  William  B.  Magruder,  as  Marshal,  and  was 
arranged  in  the  following  order  : 

Persons  present  at  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the  Capitol  in  1793. 
The  President  of  the  United  States  and  Mayor  of  the  City. 

Heads  of  Departments. 
Cabinet  Members  of  former  Administrations. 

Committees  of  Public  Buildings  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives,  Architect  of 
Capitol,  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings. 

Heads  of  Bureaus. 
Judges  of  the  United  States  Courts. 

Judges  of  the  State  Courts. 
Chaplains  of  the  3ist  Congress. 


54  The  National  Capitol 

The  Reverend  Clergy  of  the  District. 
Delegations  from  States  and  Territories. 

Washington  Monument  Society. 
Members  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution. 

Members  of  National  Institute. 
Ex-Mayors  of  the  City  of  Washington. 

The  Corporate  authorities  of  Alexandria,  Georgetown  and  Washington. 
Members  of  the  Society  of  Cincinnati. 

The  third  division  consisted  of  the  Fraternity  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  who  were 
attired  in  the  regalia  of  the  Order,  bearing  its  various  emblems,  and  forming  a  distinct 
feature  in  the  pageant.  Then  followed  the  order  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance,  including 
their  grand  and  subordinate  divisions,  with  banners,  etc.,  as  before  described. 

In  about  30  minutes,  the  Procession  entered  the  North  gate  of  the  Capitol  grounds, 
and  were  drawn  up  in  order  around  the  excavation  for  the  Cornerstone.  The  President  of 
the  United  States,  attended  by  Walter  Lenox,  Esq.,  Mayor  of  the  City  of  Washington; 
the  Heads  of  Departments  ;  the  Officers  of  the  Army  and  Navy  ;  George  Washington  Parke 
Custis,  Esq. ;  the  Reverend  Clergy ;  the  Masonic  Order ;  and  as  many  others  as  the  lim- 
ited space  would  accommodate,  occupied  the  site  of  the  contemplated  edifice. 

After  a  salutatory  by  the  Marine  Band,  and  order  being  proclaimed,  the  Rev.  C.  M. 
Butler,  D.D. ,  Rector  of  Trinity  Church,  and  Chaplain  of  .the  Senate,  opened  the  ceremo- 
nies with  fervent  and  impressive  prayer. 

Thomas  U.  Walter,  architect  of  the  new  building,  then  took  a  survey  of  the  stone  and 
deposited  therein  a  glass  jar,  hermetically  sealed,  which  contained  a  variety  of  valuable  his- 
torical parchments,  the  coins  of  the  United  States,  a  copy  of  the  Oration  to  be  delivered  by 
the  Secretary  of  State,  newspapers  of  the  day,  and  other  memorials. 

The  Corner-stone  of  the  new  Capitol  edifice  was  then,  with  great  dignity  and  solemnity 
laid  by  Millard  Fillmore,  President  of  the  United  States,  after  which  he  gave  way  to  the 
Masonic  Fraternity.*  Then  services  were  opened  with  an  excellent  prayer  by  the  Grand 
Chaplain,  the  Rev.  Charles  A.  Davis.  The  "corn  of  nourishment,  the  wine  of  refresh- 
ment, and  the.  oil  of  joy,"  were  severally  deposited  according  to  the  peculiar  observances 
of  the  fraternity,  viz. : 

The  Grand  Master  examined  the  stone,  applied  the  Square,  level  and  plumb,  and  pro- 
nounced it  properly  formed,  and  of  the  suitable  material  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  was 
intended.  He  then  placed  upon  it  the  corn,  wine,  and  oil,  saying  as  he  did  so,  "  May  the 
all  bountiful  Creator  bless  the  people  of  this  nation,  grant  to  them  all  the  necessaries,  con- 
veniences, and  comforts  of  life  ;  assist  in  the  erection  and  completion  of  this  edifice,  pre- 
serve the  workmen  from  any  accident,  and  bestow  upon  us  all  the  corn  of  nourishment,  the 
wine  of  refreshment,  and  the  oil  of  joy."  He  then  said,  "with  this  gavel,  which  was  used 
by  the  immortal  Washington,  at  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  that  Capitol,  and  clothed 
with  the  same  apron  that  he  then  wore,  I  now  pronounce  this  corner-stone  of  this  extension 
of  that  Capitol,  well  laid,  true,  and  trusty,"  accompanying  the  last  words  with  three  blows 
of  the  gavel.  He  then  presented  to  T.  U.  Walter,  Esq.,  the  Architect,  the  working  tools, 
being  the  square,  level,  and  plumb,  accompanying  the  presentation  with  the  following  re- 
marks : 

"  Mr.  Architect :  I  now,  with  pleasure,  present  to  you  these  working  tools  of  your  own 
profession — the  square,  the  level,  and  the  plumb.  We,  as  speculative  masons,  use  them 
symbolically  ;  you  as  an  accomplished  architect,  well  know  their  use  practically,  and  may  the 

*  Matthew  G.  Emory,  ex-Mayor  of  the  City  of  Washington,  who  built  the  basement 
stories  of  the  extensions,  furnished  all  the  granite  and  delivered  the  white  marble  for  the 
wings,  laid  the  corner-stone  in  preparation  for  the  ceremony. 


The  National  Capitol.  53 

noble  edifice,  here  to  be  erected,  under  your  charge,  arise  in  its  beautiful  proportions,  to 
completion,  in  conformity  with  all  your  wishes,  and  may  your  life  and  health  be  long  con- 
tinued, and  may  you  see  the  work  go  on,  and  the  cap-stone  laid  under  circumstances  as  aus- 
picious and  as  happy  as  those  under  which  the  corner-stone,  is  this  day  laid." 

The  line  of  the  procession  and  the  mighty  multitude  now  changed  positions  nearer  to 
the  front  of  the  stand  from  whence  the  addresses  were  to  be  delivered.  Accompanied  by 
the  marshals  of  the  day,  the  President  and  his  escort,  with  the  distinguished  individuals 
already  referred  to,  were  conducted  to  seats  upon  the  lofty  platform. 

B.  B.  French,  Esq.,  Grand  Master  of  the  Masons,  then  appeared  in  front  (preceding 
Mr.  Webster  at  his  request),  and  delivered  the  opening  address. 

Mr.  Webster  then  rose  from  a  chair  next  to  President  Fillmore  and  approached  the 
front  of  the  stand.  He  was  welcomed  by  the  hearty  cheers  of  the  multitude,  and  proceeded 
to  read  the  address  which  he  had  prepared,  a  copy  of  which  had  been  deposited  in  the 
corner-stone.  He  did  not,  however,  confine  himself  to  the  manuscript,  but  occasionally 
extemporised  new  thoughts  and  other  highly  interesting  reflections  which  together  with  the 
reading,  occupied  nearly  two  hours. 

The  conclusion  of  these  important  ceremonies  was  announced  by  a  salute  of  artillery 
from  the  public  reservation  at  the  north  end  of  the  Capitol  and  the  military  and  civic  asso- 
ciations returned  in  excellent  order  to  their  respective  places  of  rendezvous  where  they  were 
dismissed. 

The  glorious  day  closed  with  a  display  of  fire-works  from  the  Mall  south  of  the  Presi- 
dent's house. 

Webster's  oration  was  one  of  the  most  eloquent  and  comprehensive  in  his 
career.  It  was  listened  to  by  a  large  assemblage  of  people,  who  filled  the  eastern 
plaza  before  the  Capitol,  a  much  smaller  amphitheater,  however,  than  that  to 
the  east  of  the  building  at  the  present  time.  In  the  course  of  his  address  he 
called  attention  to  the  following  account  of  the  proceedings  of  the  day, 
which,  in-his  own  handwriting,  had  been  deposited  within  the  corner-stone  : 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  first  day  of  the  seventy-sixth  year  of  the  independence  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  in  the  city  of  Washington,  being  the  fourth  day  of  July,  1851, 
this  stone,  designated  as  the  corner-stone  of  the  extension  of  the  Capitol,  according  to  a 
plan  approved  by  the  President,  in  pursuance  of  an  act  of  Congress,  was  laid  by  Millard 
Fillmore,  President  of  the  United  States,  assisted  by  the  Grand  Master  of  the  Masonic 
Lodges,  in  the  presence  of  many  members  of  Congress  ;  of  officers  of  the  executive  and 
judiciary  departments,  national,  state  and  district ;  of  the  officers  of  the  Army  and  Navy  ; 
the  corporate  authorities  of  this  and  neighboring  cities  ;  many  associations,  civil,  military 
and  masonic  ;  officers  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  and  National  Institute  ;  professors  of 
colleges  and  teachers  of  schools  of  the  District  of  Columbia  with  their  students  and  pupils  ; 
and  a  vast  concourse  of  people  from  places  near  and  remote,  including  a  few  surviving 
gentlemen  who  witnessed  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the  Capitol  by  President  Wash- 
ington, on  the  i8th  day  of  September,  1793. 

"If,  therefore,  it  shall  hereafter  be  the  will  of  God  that  this  structure  shall  fall  from  its 
base,  that  its  foundations  be  up-turned,  and  this  deposit  brought  to  the  eyes  of  men,  be  it 
known  that,  on  this  day,  the  Union  of  the  United  States  of  America  stands  firm  ;  that  their 
constitution  still  exists  unimpaired,  and  with  all  its  original  usefulness  and  glory,  growing 
every  day  stronger  and  stronger  in  the  affections  of  the  great  body  of  the  American  people* 
and  attracting  more  and  more  the  admiration  of  the  world. 


The  National  Capitol 


"And  all  here  assembled,  whether  belonging  to  public  or  private  life,  with  hearts 
devoutly  thankful  to  Almighty  God,  for  the*  preservation  of  the  liberty  and  happiness  of 
the  country,  unite  in  sincere  and  fervent  prayers  that  this  deposit  and  the  walls  and  arches, 
the  domes  and  towers,  the  columns  and  entablatures,  now  to  be  erected  over  it,  may  endure 
forever  !  God  save  the  United  States  of  America  ! 

DANIEL  WEBSTER, 
Secretary  of  State  of  the  United  States" 

Construction. — Great  difficulty  was  experienced  in  the  building  of  the 
foundations,  especially  at  the  northwest  corner  of  the  Senate  wing,  where 
the  soil  was  very  sandy.  At  that  point,  the  walls  were  sunk  forty  feet  below  the 

surface  before  firm  strata  could  be  found. 
In  the  fall  of  1854,  the  walls  of  the  House 
and  Senate  were  up  to  the  ceiling;  but 
they  were  not  covered  in  with  the  metal- 
lic and  glass  roofing  until  1856.  The 
wings  were  practically  complete  in  1861. 
The  east  portico  of  the  north  wing  was 
finished  in  November,  1864. 

The  walls  of  the  beautiful  extensions 
are  of  white  marble  from  the  quarries  at 
Lee,  Massachusetts,  and  are  not  inhar- 
monious with  the  walls  of  the  old  build- 
ing, which  are  of  yellowish  freestone, 
painted  white.  Fifty  Corinthian  marble 
columns  from  quarries  at  Cockeysville, 
Maryland,  are  distributed  about  the  ex- 
terior of  each  new  wing  and  its  con- 
necting corridor.  The  shafts  are  fluted 
monoliths,  and  the  capitals  and  pedes- 
tals also  are  carved  of  solid  slabs  of 
marble.  Each  column  weighs  23  tons, 
and  cost  the  United  States,  when  in  po- 
sition, $1,550.  The  first  column  was  erected  on  the  House  wing  in  Novem- 
ber, 1860  ;  the  last,  which  was  on  the  Senate  wing,  was  not  raised  to  its  place 
until  1865.  The  architraves,  entablatures,  ornamented  pediments,  cornices 
and  portico-ceilings  are  composed  of  massive  blocks  of  marble,  in  some  in- 
stances finely  carved.  Along  the  west  side  of  each  extension  run  porticoes  105 
feet  8  inches  in  length,  projecting  10  feet  6  inches  from  the  wall.  Like 
porticoes  extend  along  the  north  end  of  the  north  wing  and  the  south  end  of 
the  south  wing;  while  double  porticoes  are  formed  in  each  instance  to  the 
east.  Suitable  porte-cocheres  beneath  the  three  flights  of  steps  leading  to  the 
eastern  entrances  protect  carriage  visitors  from  inclement  weather. 


The  National  Capitol  59 

The  style  of  architecture  of  the  old  Capitol,  which,  from  the  first,  was  of 
the  Corinthian  order,  has  been  carefully  preserved  by  Walter.  Each  marble 
wing  is  142  feet  8  inches  in  length  on  the  east  front,  by  238  feet  10  inches  in 
depth,  exclusive  of  porticoes  and  steps.  The  greatest  depth,  including  the 
porticoes  and  steps,  is  348  feet  6  inches.  Each  wing  is  connected  with  the  old 
building  by  a  north  and  south  corridor  44  feet  in  length  by  56  feet  8  inches  in 
width,  enriched  by  Corinthian  columns  similar  to  those  on  the  wings  them- 
selves. These  marble  extensions  have  increased  the  length  of  the  Capitol  to 
751  feet  4  inches.  It  covers  an  area  of  153,112  square  feet.  The  official 
tabulation  gives  $8,075,299.04  as  the  net  expenditures  by  the  government 
upon  the  extensions. 

Occupancy  by  Congress. — The  House  met  for  the  first  time  in  the  new 
Hall  of  Representatives  in  the  south  extension  at  twelve  o'clock,  December 
1 6,  1857.  The  new  Senate  Chamber  was  not  ready  for  occupancy  for  more  than 
a  year  later,  January  4,  1859,  when  the  Senate  .moved  from  its  old  chamber, 
now  devoted  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States.  Despite  the  bad 
weather  and  bad  walking,  for  there  were  no  street  cars  in  Washington  in  those 
days,  the  Capitol  was  filled  to  overflowing  with  people  desiring  to  see  the 
ceremony  of  the  removal  of  the  Senate  and  its  initial  sitting  in  the  new 
hall.  The  eagerness  to  be  present  at  the  exercises  was  so  great  that  Mr.  Stuart 
moved  to  admit  ladies  to  the  floor,  which  motion,  however,  was  defeated 
through  the  objection  of  Mr.  Hamlin. 

The  report  of  the  committee  was  first  read  by  the  Secretary.  It  stated 
that  the  new  chamber  was  ready  for  occupancy,  and  that  the  seats  had  been 
arranged  according  to  the  plan  presented  with  the  report  and  the  rooms 
assigned.  The  galleries  to  the  left  of  the  President  were  reserved  for  ladies 
accompanied  by  gentlemen,  and  those  to  the  right  for  gentlemen  alone.  The 
central  portion  above  the  President's  chair — except  the  front  desk,  which 
was  set  apart  for  reporters  of  the  Senate — was  allotted  to  such  reporters  of  the 
press  as  might  be  admitted  thereto  by  the  authority  of  that  body.  Mr. 
Crittenden  moved  the  adoption  of  the  report  in  an  informal  speech  full  of 
feeling  at  the  thought  of  leaving  the  historic  chamber.  He  was  followed  by 
the  Vice- President,  John  C.  Breckenridge,  in  a  more  elaborate  and  eloquent 
speech  in  the  same  vein.  The  Senators,  preceded  by  the  Vice-President,  the 
Secretary  and  Sergeant-at-Arms,  then  marched  to  the  new  chamber  and  took 
the  seats  assigned  them,  whereupon  the  Vice-President  called  the  body  to 
order.  After  the  Rev.  P.  D.  Gurley,  D.D.,  had  offered  prayer,  the  regular 
proceedings  were  resumed. 


THE   DOME 

THE  marble  extensions  had  not  far  progressed  before  it  was  strikingly 
apparent  that  they  would  dwarf  and  render  out  of  proportion  the  central  dome 
of  the  old  Capitol.  Then,  too,  the  old  dome  had  nearly  caught  afire  when 
the  Library  burned  in  1851,  which  was  an  additional  reason  for  building  a 
new  one.  The  plans  were  prepared  by  architect  Walter,  and  approved  by  the 
President.  The  old  brick  and  wooden  dome  was  torn  away  in  1855,  and  the 
present  magnificent  dome  of  iron,  painted  white  to  resemble  the  building, 
erected  in  its  place.  In  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  reflect  upon  the 
idea  which  Ruskin,  the  fastidious  champion  of  pure  architecture,  suggests  in 
his  Lamp  of  Truth :  "It  may  be  perhaps  permitted  to  me  to  assume  that  true 
architecture  does  not  admit  iron  as  a  constructive  material,  and  that  such 
works  as  the  cast-iron  central  spire  of  Rouen  cathedral,  or  the  iron  rooms  and 
pillars  of  our  railway  stations,  and  of  some  of  our  churches,  are  not  archi- 
tecture at  all." 

There  was  not  a  day  during  the  Civil  war  when  the  sound  of  the  builder's 
hammer  was  not  heard  at  the  Capitol.  Even  when,  in  May,  1861,  all  work 
was  ordered  to  be  suspended,  the  contractors  practically  continued  at  their 
own  expense  to  put  in  place  the  1,300,000  pounds  of  iron  castings  then  upon 
the  ground.  The  outside  of  the  spherical  portion  of  the  new  dome  was 
finished  in  1863,  though  not  until  the  next  year  was  it  painted  and  the  scaf- 
folding removed.  By  the  close  of  1865,  the  wings  and  the  interior  of  the 
dome  were  completed,  and  Walter's  work  was  done. 

The  height  of  the  building  from  the  base  line  on  the  west  to  the  crest  on 
the  new  dome  is  307  feet  6  inches.  Rising,  as  it  does,  287  feet  6  inches 
above  the  base  line  on  the  east  front,  away  from  all  surrounding  buildings,  it 
is  more  imposing  to  the  eye  than  the  somewhat  similar  domes  of  St.  Peter's 
at  Rome,(448  feet  high,  designed  by  Michael  Angelo ;  St.  Paul's  in  London, 
365  feet  in  height,  designed  by  Sir  Christopher  Wren  ;  or  the  dome  of  the 
Pantheon  in  Paris,  which  has  a  height  of  258  feet.  There  is  no  dome  in 
Europe  more  graceful  in  its  lines  and  proportions. 

Great  engineering  skill  was  required  in  the  erection  of  the  dome.  The 
walls  had  to  be  trussed,  bolted,  girded  and  clamped  in  eveiy  conceivable  way 
to  hold  in  position  the  immense  superstructure.  Even  furnished  with  the 
figures,  it  is  scarcely  possible  for  the  mind  to  appreciate  its  immense  weight. 
Walter  calculated  its  8,909,200  pounds  of  cast  and  wrought  iron  as  giving  a 


The  National  Capitol 


61 


pressure  of  13,477  pounds  to  the  square  foot  at  the  basement  floor,  and  the 
supporting  walls  as  capable  of  holding  755,280  pounds  to  the  same  area.  The 
pressure  upon  the  walls  of  the  cellar  floor,  exclusive  of  the  weight  of  the 
Goddess  of  Freedom,  is  estimated  at  51,292,253  pounds.  The  dome  is  com- 
posed of  two  shells,  one  within  the  other,  which  expand  and  contract  with  the 
'variations  in  temperature ;  between 

these  the  stairway  winds  in  its  as-      _ 

cent.  The  greatest  diameter  at  the 
base  is  135  feet  5  inches.  The  cost 
of  the  new  dome  is  officially  given 
at  $1,047,291.89. 

The  thirty-six  columns  which 
surround  the  lower  portion  of  the 
exterior  represent  the  thirty- six 
States  in  the  Union  at  the  time  it 
was  designed.  The  thirteen  col- 
umns which  encircle  the  lantern 
above  the  tholus  are  emblematic  of 
the  thirteen  original  States.  This 
lantern  is  24  feet  4  inches  in  di- 
ameter and  50  feet  in  height.  Its 
light  notifies  the  surrounding  coun- 
try for  miles  of  a  night  session  in 
either  House.  The  American  flag, 
floating  from  the  staff  above  either 
chamber,  is  the  signal  by  day  of  the 
session  of  the  House  beneath.  Unti  1 
late  years,  except  during  the  sittings 
of  Congress,  no  flag  floated  from  the 
nation's  Capitol.  This  oversight 
was  first  pointed  out  by  Colonel 
Richard  J.  Bright,  Sergeant-at- 

Arms  of  the  Senate,  through  whose  patriotic  efforts  the  following  clause  was 
inserted  in  the  sundry  civil  appropriation  bill,  approved  August  18,  1894: 
"  To  provide  flags  for  the  east  and  west  fronts  of  the  centre  of  the  Capitol, 
to  be  hoisted  daily  under  the  direction  of  the  Capitol  Police  board,  one  hun- 
dred dollars,  or  so  much  thereof  as  may  be  necessary."  Like  provision  has 
been  made  each  year  since.  Out  of  respect  for  noted  dead,  the  flags  float  at 
half-mast,  and  in  a  very  few  instances  the  Capitol  has  been  partially  draped  in 
black.  On  gala  days,  flags  wave  in  the  breeze  from  staffs  placed  near  the  top 
of  the  dome,  and  a  few  years  since,  for  a  short  time,  arc  lights  with  reflectors 
were  there  suspended  for  the  purpose  of  more  effectively  lighting  the  park. 


&2  The  National  Capitol 

Dome-Entrance  and  View. — The  narrow,  tortuous  stairway  which 
leads  to  the  dome  rises  from  the  circular  vestibule  before  the  entrance  to  the 
office  of  the  Marshal  of  the  Supreme  Court.  There  are  365  steps  in  the  ascen- 
sion, one  for  each  day  in  the  year.  The  bird's-eye  view  from  either  the  lower 
or  upper  circular  balcony  which  encompass  the  dome  amply  repays  the  climb. 
This  is  graphically  described  by  Mr.  Spofford  in  his  Eminent  and  Represen-. 
tative  Men  of  Virginia  and  the  District  of  Columbia  :  "  Viewed  from  the 
vantage-ground  of  the  capitol  dome,  or  even  the  western  portico,  or  more 
widely  from  the  top  of  the  Washington  monument,  the  environs  of  Washing- 
ton present  a  landscape  of  rare  beauty  and  varied  effect.  The  near  view 
includes  the  mass  of  the  city,  thickly  covered  with  dwellings,  stores,  and 
shops,  intersected  by  the  two  great  arteries  of  Pennsylvania  avenue,  running 
to  the  treasury,  and  Maryland  avenue,  running  westward  to  the  Potomac.  At 
frequent  intervals  through  the  perspective  of  roofs,  rise'  the  tall  steeples  of 
churches  and  the  massive  white  marble  edifices  of  the  various  government 
buildings.  Turning  westward,  the  bright,  broad  current  of  the  Potomac — 
nearly  a  mile  wide  opposite  the  capitol — sweeps  southward,  while  there  comes 
in  on  the  left,  joining  the  main  stream  at  Greenleaf's  point  (on  which  the 
government  arsenal  is  situated),  the  deep  current  of  the  Anacostia,  or  eastern 
branch  of  the  Potomac.  To  the  south,  on  the  heights  beyond  the  eastern 
branch,  is  seen  the  long  mass  of  the  government  insane  asylum  buildings.  On 
the  Virginia  shore  rises  a  long  forest-clad  range  of  hills,  amid  which  may  be 
discerned  Arlington  heights,  with  its  pillared  edifice  erected  by  George 
Washington  Parke  Custis,  now  occupied  by  the  government,  and  its  National 
cemetery  or  city  of  the  dead,  where  15,000  Union  soldiers  are  interred; 
while  the  spire  of  Fairfax  seminary,  six  miles  distant,  rises  above  the  horizon 
in  the  direction  of  Alexandria.  The  latter  little  city,  with  its  houses,  churches, 
and  shipping  lying  along  the  harbor,  is  clearly  visible,  and  the  river  is  at 
almost  all  seasons  dotted  with  the  sails  of  river  craft  and  with  steamers  ply- 
ing up  and  down.  To  the  northwest,  over  the  roofs  of  the  executive  mansion 
and  the  new  state  department,  rise  the  lofty  and  picturesque  heights  of 
Georgetown,  attaining  at  the  adjoining  village  of  Tenallytown,  just  outside 
the  borders  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  a  height  of  some  400  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  To  the  north  are  seen  the  buildings  of  Howard  uni- 
versity, crowning  Seventh  street  hill,  and  beyond  the  towers  of  the  Soldiers' 
home,  a  free  refuge  for  the  disabled  soldiers  of  the  army,  comprising  a  beau- 
tiful park  of  740  acres  in  extent.  It  was  this  delightful  and  comprehensive 
view  which  drew  from  Baron  von  Humboldt  the  remark,  as  he  stood  on  the 
western  crest  of  Capitol  hill  and  surveyed  the  scene,  '  I  have  not  seen  a  more 
charming  panorama  in  all  my  travels.'  " 

How  different  the  spirit  with  which  Dickens  described  the  same  scene 
after  beholding  it,  in  1842  :  "  It  is  sometimes  called  the  City  of  Magnificent 


The  National  Capitol  63 

Distances,  but  it  might  with  greater  propriety  be  termed  the  City  of  Magnifi- 
cent Intentions;  for  it  is  only  on  taking  a  bird's-eye  view  of  it  from  the  top 
of  the  Capitol,  that  one  can  at  all  comprehend  the  vast  designs  of  its  projec- 
tor, an  aspiring  Frenchman.  Spacious  avenues,  that  begin  in  nothing,  and 
lead  nowhere ;  streets,  mile-long,  that  only  want  houses,  roads,  and  inhabi- 
tants ;  public  buildings  that  need  but  a  public  to  be  complete ;  and  ornaments 
of  great  thoroughfares,  which  only  lack  great  thoroughfares  to  ornament, — are 
its  leading  features  ...  a  monument  raised  to  a  deceased  project,  with 
not  even  a  legible  inscription  to  record  its  departed  greatness.  Such  as  it 
is,  it  is  likely  to  remain." 

We  can  imagine  Mark  Twain  about  1874,  quite  out  of  breath  after  strug- 
gling up  the  long  flight  of  steps  to  the  dome,  contemplating  with  pitiful  eyes 
his  poor  fellow  mortals  beneath.  "Now  your  general  glance,"  he  drawls 
humorously,  "  gives  you  picturesque  stretches  of  gleaming  water,  on  your  left, 
•with  a  sail  here  and  there  and  a  lunatic  asylum  on  shore;  over  beyond  the 
water,  on  a  distant  elevation,  you  see  a  squat  and  yellow  temple  which  your 
eye  dwells  upon  lovingly  through  a  blur  of  unmanly  moisture,  for  it  recalls 
your  lost  boyhood  and  the  Parthenons  done  in  molasses  candy  which  made  it 
blessed  and  beautiful.  Still  in  the  distance,  but  on  this  side  of  the  water 
and  close  to  its  edge,  the  Monument  to  the  Father  of  his  Country  towers  out 
of  the  mud — sacred  soil  is  the  customary  term.  It  has  the  aspect  of  a  factory 
chimney  with  the  top  broken  off.  The  skeleton  of  a  decaying  scaffolding 
lingers  about  its  summit,  and  tradition  says  that  the  spirit  of  Washington  often 
comes  down  and  sits  on  those  rafters  to  enjoy  this  tribute  of  respect  which  the 
nation  has  reared  as  the  symbol  of  its  unappeasable  gratitude.  The  Monu- 
ment is  to  be  finished,  some  day,  and  at  that  time  our  Washington  will  have 
risen  still  higher  in  the  nation's  veneration,  and  will  be  known  as  the  Great- 
Great-Grandfather  of  his  Country.  The  memorial  Chimney  stands  in  a  quiet 
pastoral  locality  that  is  full  of  reposeful  expression.  With  a  glass  you  can 
see  the  cow-sheds  about  its  base,  and  the  contented  sheep  nibbling  pebbles  in 
the  desert  solitudes  that  surround  it,  and  the  tired  pigs  dozing  in  the  holy 
calm  of  its  protecting  shadow. 

"  Now  you  wrench  your  gaze  loose  and  you  look  down  in  front  of  you  and 
see  the  broad  Pennsylvania  Avenue  stretching  straight  ahead  for  a  mile  or 
more  till  it  brings  up  against  the  iron  fence  in  front  of  a  pillared  granite  pile, 
the  Treasury  building — an  edifice  that  would  command  respect  in  any  capital. 
The  stores  and  hotels  that  wall  in  this  broad  avenue  are  mean,  and  cheap,  and 
dingy,  and  are  better  left  without  comment.  Beyond  the  Treasury  is  a  fine 
large  white  barn,  with  wide  unhandsome  grounds  about  it.  The  President  lives 
there.  It  is  ugly  enough  outside,  but  that  is  nothing  to  what  it  is  inside. 
Dreariness,  flimsiness,  bad  taste  reduced  to  mathematical  completeness  is  what 
the  inside  offers  to  the  eye,  if  it  remains  yet  what  it  always  has  been. 


The  National  Capitol 


"  The  front  and  right  hand  views  give  you  the  city  at  large.  It  is  a  wide 
stretch  of  cheap  little  brick  houses,  with  here  and  there  a  noble  architectural 
pile  lifting  itself  out  of  the  midst — government  buildings,  these.  If  the 
thaw  is  still  going  on  when  you  come  down  and  go  about  town,  you  will  won- 
der at  the  short-sightedness  of  the  city  fathers,  when  you  come  to  inspect  the 
streets,  in  that  they  do  not  dilute  the  mud  a  little  more  and  use  them  for 
canals." 

The  Goddess  of  Freedom. — The  huge  -bronze — variously  called  "  The 
Goddess  of  Freedom,"  "The  Goddess  of  Liberty"  and  "The  Indian  God- 
dess"— which  to-day  rests  upon  the  great  dome-pedestal,  for  some  years 

awaited  its  destination  in  the  lawn 
i  southeast  of  the  building.  Two  weeks 
were  consumed  in  raising  it  to  its  present 
\  position.  It  had  first  been  oxidated  by 
an  acid  solution  .to  produce  a  rich  and 
uniform  tint  which,  it  was  thought, 
would  never  change  under  exposure.  As 
the  head  and  shoulders,  which  were  the 
fifth  and  crowning  section  of  the  figure, 
were  placed  in  position,  at  noon  on  the 
2d  of  December,  1863,  a  flag  was  waved 
from  the  top  of  the  dome  and  the  field 
battery  in  the  grounds,  thirty-five  guns, 
fired  the  national  salute.  This  was 
answered  successively  by  the  guns  of 
the  forts  then  guarding  the  District  of 
Columbia,  and  by  the  patriotic  cheers 
of  the  multitude,  who  had  gathered  to 
see  the  statue  of  Freedom — the  emblem 
of  a  principle  which  was  even  then  the 
contention  of  two  mighty  armies — raised 
upon  the  dome. 

The  statue,  which  faces  to  the  east,  was  designed  by  Thomas  Crawford, 
the  father  of  the  novelist,  F.  Marion  Crawford,  in  Rome  in  1855  ;  and  cast 
in  the  foundry  of  Clark  Mills,  near  Bladensburg,  in  the  District  of  Colum- 
<•  bia.     The  original  model  of  the  sculptor  in  plaster  had  a  liberty  cap  jewelled 
with  a  circlet  of  stars.     In  October,  1855,  Crawford  writes  to  Captain  Meigs  : 
"  It  is  quite  possible  that  Mr.  Jefferson  Davis  may,  as  upon  a  former  occa- 
sion, object  to  the  cap  of  Liberty  and  the  fasces.     I  can  only  say  in  reply  that 
the  work  is  for  the  people,  and  they  must  be  addressed  in  language  they  under- 
stand, and  which  has  become  unalterable  for  the  masses. 

"  The  emblems  I  allude  to  can  never  be  replaced  by  any  invention  of  the 


THE   GODDESS   OF   FREEDOM 
(Crawford"1*  original  model) 


The  National  Capitol  65 

artist;  all  that  can  be  done  is  to  add  to  them,  as  I  have  done,  by  placing  the 
circlet  of  stars  around  the  cap  of  liberty :  it  thus  becomes  more  picturesque, 
and  nothing  of  its  generally  understood  signification  is  lost.  All  arguments, 
however,  must  reduce  themselves  into  the  question  :  '  Will  the  people  under- 
stand it  ? '  I,  therefore,  hope  the  Secretary  will  allow  the  emblems  to  '  pass 
muster.' 

"  I  have  said  the  statue  represents  '  armed  Liberty.'  She  rests  upon  the 
shield  of  our  country,  the  triumph  of  which  is  made  apparent  by  the  wreath 
held  in  the  same  hand  which  grasps  the  shield;  in  her  right  hand  she  holds 
the  sheathed  sword,  to  show  the  fight  is  over  for  the  present,  but  ready  for  use 
whenever  required.  The  stars  upon  her  brow  indicate  her  heavenly  origin ; 
her  position  upon  the  globe  represents  her  protection  of  the  American  world 
— the  justice  of  whose  cause  is  made  apparent  by  the  emblems  supporting  it." 

The  present  helmet,  surmounted  by  a  crest  of  eagle  plumes,  was  adopted 
after  considerable  correspondence  between  the  Secretary,  Captain  Meigs  and 
the  artist.  On  March  18,  1856,  Crawford  writes  :  "  I  read  with  much  pleas- 
ure the  letter*  of  the  honorable  Secretary,  and  his  remarks  have  induced  me 
to  dispense  with  the  '  cap '  and  put  in  its  place  a  helmet,  the  crest  of  which 
is  composed  of  an  eagle's  head  and  a  bold  arrangement  of  feathers,  suggested 
by  the  costume  of  our  Indian  tribes."  The  Secretary's  objections  to  the  cap 

*  WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
WASHINGTON,  Jan.  15,  1856. 
CAPT.  M.  C.  MEIGS,  in  charge  of  Capitol  Extension,  Washington  City  : 

Sir  :  The  second  photograph  of  the  statue  with  which  it  is  proposed  to  crown  the 
dome  of  the  Capitol,  impresses  me  most  favorably.  Its  general  grace  and  power,  striking 
at  first  view,  has  grown  on  me  as  I  studied  its  details. 

As  to  the  cap,  I  can  only  say,  without  intending  to  press  the  objection  formerly  made, 
that  it  seems  to  me  its  history  renders  it  inappropriate  to  a  people  who  were  born  free  and 
would  not  be  enslaved. 

The  language  of  art,  like  all  living  tongues,  is  subject  to  change  ;  thus  the  bundle  of 
rods,  if  no  longer  employed  to  suggest  the  functions  of  the  Roman  Lictor,  may  lose  the 
symbolic  character  derived  therefrom,  and  be  confined  to  the  single  signification  drawn 
from  its  other  source — the  fable  teaching  the  instructive  lesson  that  in  union  there  is  strength. 
But  the  liberty  cap  has  an  established  origin  in  its  use,  as  the  badge  of  the  freed  slave  ;  and 
though  it  should  have  another  emblematic  meaning  to-day,  a  recurrence  to  that  origin  may 
give  to  it  in  the  future  the  same  popular  acceptation  which  it  had  in  the  past. 

Why  should  not  armed  Liberty  wear  a  helmet  ?  Her  conflict  being  over,  her  cause  tri- 
umphant, as  shown  by  the  other  emblems  of  the  statue,  the  visor  would  be  up  so  as  to  per- 
mit, as  in  the  photograph,  the  display  of  a  circle  of  stars,  expressive  of  endless  existence 
and  of  heavenly  birth.  With  these  remarks  I  leave  the  matter  to  the  judgment  of  Mr 
Crawford  ;  and  I  need  hardly  say  to  you,  who  know  my  very  high  appreciation  of  him,  thsu 
I  certainly  would  not  venture,  on  a  question  of  art,  to  array  my  opinion  against  his. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

1 1  i  i  KRSON  DAVIS, 

Secretary  of  IVar. 

5 


66  The  National  Capitol 

were  that  it  was  the  Roman  badge  of  emancipation  and  inappropriate  to  a 
free-born  people.  It  has  been  often  asserted  that  he  saw  in  it  a  fanciful 
menace  to  the  South  and  her  institution  of  slavery. 

The  right  hand  of  the  figure  rests  upon  the  hilt  of  a  sheathed  sword ;  her 
left  holds  an  olive  branch,  while  resting  upon  a  shield.  At  the  waist,  a  broach 
bearing  the  letters  "  U.  S."  holds  the  drapery  in  place.  The  statue  weighs 
nearly  15,000  pounds,  the  weight  of  the  heaviest  of  the  five  sections  being 
4,740  pounds,  and  is  19^2  feet  in  height.  Crawford  received  $3,000  for  the 
plaster  model;  Mills,  $9,800  for  casting  it  in  bronze ;  and  $10,996.82  were 
paid  for  labor,  iron-work  and  copper. 

It  is  perhaps  well  for  the  statue  that  its  position,  while  most  imposing, 
places  it  beyond  the  critical  vision  of  even  those  who  most  highly  appreciate 
Crawford's  art.  It  is  unfortunately  now  neither  ancient  nor  modern,  classic 
nor  American.  Under  several  equally  inappropriate  titles  the  public,  with 
careless  indifference,  have  come  to  idealize  a  mongrel  statue  which  would 
have  possessed  more  merit  and  appropriateness,  had  not  politics,  as  is  too 
often  the  case  in  America,  contaminated  art.  It  has  been  proposed  to  gild 
the  statue.  This  would  but  make  more  glaring  its  imperfections. 


THE  TERRACE 

EVEN  after  the  erection  of  the  grand  marble  wings  and  the  elevation  of 
the  dome,  the  Capitol,  except  on  the  eastern  front,  had  an  unfinished  appear- 
ance despite  the  sodded  embankment  which  formed  the  old  terrace,  especially 
devised  by  Bulfinch.  This  was  well  described  by  Watterston  in  1842  :  "  Pro- 
ceeding through  the  western  entrance  of  the  Capitol  you  reach  a  spacious 
terrace,  paved  with  Seneca  freestone,  and  extending  in  a  very  beautiful  sweep, 
from  north  to  south.  Beneath  this  terrace,  which  is  below  the  level  of  the 
east  front,  is  a  range  of  casemate  arches,  forming  depositories  for  the  wood 
and  coal  annually  consumed  in  the  building.  The  terrace  is  faced  with  a 
grass  bank  or  glacis,  and  accessible  by  two  flights  of  stone  steps  on  either 
side  of  the  open  arches  leading  to  the  basement  story  of  the  Capitol.  Under 
the  middle  of  these  is  a  handsome  marble  fountain,  from  which  the  water, 
brought  through  pipes  from  springs  about  two  miles  north  of  the  Capitol,  falls 
into  a  beautiful  basin  of  white  marble,  and  thence  flows  into  a  reservoir  cased 
with  stone,  and  in  which  has  been  erected  a  monument  [now  at  Annapolis]  to 
the  memory  of  young  naval  officers,  Somers,  Wadsworth,  Israel,  Decatur, 
Dorsey,  and  Caldwell,  who  gallantly  perished  off  Tripoli,  in  1804.  It  is  a 
Doric  pillar,  with  emblematic  embellishments,  etc.,  crowned  with  an  eagle 
in  the  act  of  flying.  The  column  ornamented  with  the  prows  of  Turkish  ves- 
sels, rests  on  a  base,  on  one  side  of  which  is  sculptured  in  basso  relievo  a  view 
of  Tripoli  and  its  fortresses  in  the  distance,  the  Mediterranean  and  American 
fleet  in  the  foreground.  The  whole  monument  is  of  Italian  marble,  and  its 
sub-base  of  American  marble,  found  near  Baltimore. 

"  Further  west  is  another  fall  or  glacis,  with  stone  steps,  from  the  bottom 
of  which  three  fine  walks,  paved  with  granite,  lead  to  the  principal  western 
gates,  one  in  the  centre,  one  opening  into  the  Maryland,  and  the  other  into 
Pennsylvania  Avenue.  On  each  side  of  the  centre  gateway  are  porters'  lodges, 
which,  with  the  stone  piers  to  the  gates,  are  constructed  in  the  same  style  as 
the  basement  of  the  building.  The  public  grounds  around  the  Capitol  are 
enclosed  by  an  iron  palisade  or  railing,  bordered  with  a  belt  of  forest  and 
ornamental  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers,  and  laid  out  into  walks  neatly  gravelled, 
ami  also  planted  with  fine  trees.  On  each  side  of  the  centre  walk  are  two 
small  jets  d'eau,  supplied  with  water  from  the  reservoir  above.  A  brick 
pavement  extends  along  the  wall,  on  the  outside,  upwards  of  a  mile  in  length, 


68 


The  National  Capitol 


THE   NAVAL   MONUMENT 

and  the  square  or  public  grounds  form,  in  fine  weather,  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful promenades  in  this  country." 

The  present  terrace,  which  greatly  enhances  the  beauty  of  the  building, 
was  designed  by,  and  constructed  under  the  direction  of,  Edward  Clark,  the 
present  distinguished  architect  of  the  Capitol.  Clark  was  first  initiated  into 
office  as  the  assistant  of  Walter,  the  architect  of  the  extensions,  and  assumed 
his  present  position  after  the  completion  of  the  marble  wings  and  the  ne"w 
dome,  upon  which  his  best  energies  and  talents  had  been  displayed  in  second- 
ing Walter's  plans. 


The  National  Capitol  69 

The  approaches  were  begun  in  1882  ;  the  terrace  itself  was  not  commenced 
until  two  years  later,  nor  finished  until  1891.  This  grand  esplanade,  which 
extends  along  the  entire  north,  south  and  west  fronts  of  the  Capitol,  is  built 
principally  of  Vermont  marble.  The  large  interior  space  secured  to  the  build- 
ing by  means  of  this  addition  is  occupied  by  electric  plants  and  the  fur- 
naces and  engines  which  heat  the  building,  and  by  committee  rooms  and  those 
devoted  to  the  use  of  the  custodian  of  art.  The  total  cost  of  the  terrace  to 
the  government  has  been  about  $750,000.  The  cost  of  the  Capitol  up  to  June 
30,  1883,  is  estimated  at  $15,599,656,  of  which  $703,455.80  is  officially  given 
as  the  cost  of  repairs  upon  the  building  from  March  2,  1827,  to  March  3,  1875. 

On  summer  evenings,  when  the  heat  drives  the  townsfolk  from  their  homes, 
there  is  no  more  popular  resort  than  the  terrace-promenade.  The  gay  summer 
'dresses,  and  the  chatter  of  the  voices  of  the  merry  throng  upon  the  steps  and 
along  the  balustrade,  counting  the  stars  or  gazing  languidly  down  the  long  line 
of  lights  that  mark  the  avenues  and  streets  of  the  heated  city,  form  quite  an 
Italian  picture.  In  hushed  moments,  the  idler's  ear  catches  rippling  laughter 
from  the  shadow  of  some  column,  bespeaking  the  embrace  stolen  while  a 
friendly  cloud  masks  the  moon.  How  to  scholars  the  scene  recalls  Horace's 
drinking  song  for  winter,  in  imitation  of  an  ode  from  Alcaeus ;  for  there  the 
Roman  poet  in  imagination  invokes  the  pleasures  of  Youth,  the  camp  and  trie 
promenade,  and  the  enticing  laughter  of  the  maid  coyly  crouching  in  a  corner 
or  angle  of  the  street  or  near  houses  of  an  evening  in  Rome,  some  two  thou- 
sand years  ago  !  The  world  has  not  so  much  changed ;  for  modern  fancy 
whispers : 

The  night  is  still ;  come  wander,  dear, 

Along  an  old  familiar  way  ; 
Mine  arm  about  thee,  once  more  hear 

The  old  familiar  lover's  lay. 

See,  sweet,  the  moonbeams  kiss  the  dome — 

The  great  white  dome,  the  peoples'  shrine  ; 
Along  the  esplanade  we'll  roam, — 

Twas  there  you  promised  to  be  mine. 

See  how  the  clouds  throughout  the  west 

Still  fond  embrace  each  fleeting  ray; 
So  to  my  heart  with  man's  poor  zest 

I  clutch  thy  heart  ;  it  is  my  day. 

See,  love,  the  city  careless  sleeps, 

Nor  knows  thy  heart's  the  richest  mine, 
Where  Fortune's  delver  proudly  reaps 

Bright  golden  hours  of  joy  divine. 


70  The  National  Capitol 

See  yonder,  love,  the  ivy  clings 

Unto  a  bird-nest  balcony, — 
Thence  Fancy's  wedding  bell  first  rings, — 

A  dear  old  spot  for  you  and  me. 

Come  back,  come  back,  my  own  sweetheart; 

Along  the  terrace  this  night  stray  ; 
We'll  play  at  love  with  youthful  art, 

And  live  again  departed  day. 

The  night  is  soft,  the  night  is  fair, — 

Come  wander  there  once  more  with  me  ; 
Oh,  great  dome-shadows  be  the  lair, 

For  love-kiss  as  ye  used  to  bel 

No  Autumn  cools  the  blood  to-night, — 

Rosalia's  veins  are  May  again  ; 
Let  heart  thrill  heart  in  pulse-born  fright, 

Love  madly  as  you  loved  me  then. 

On  nights  when  the  moon  is  full  and  the  great  dome  and  columns  a,«s 
silvered  by  its  rays,  the  whole  pile  appears  like  a  cameo  cut  in  the  sky.  The 
terrace  is  then  a  place  of  enchantment,  and  the  night-visitor  exclaims  with 
Tom  Moore  : 

"  Now  look,  my  friend,  where  faint  the  moonlight  falls 
On  yonder  dome,  and  in  those  princely  halls." 

Another  occasion  when  the  Capitol  rises  in  dignity  almost  sublime  \s  in 
the  midst  of  a  great  storm.  To  see  the  lightnings  cleave  the  clouds  and  play 
harmlessly  upon  the  iron  dome,  is  a  sight  to  dwell  in  memory  forever.  The 
sunsets,  too,  from  the  western  steps,  are  unsurpassed  in  beauty,  even  in  Venice. 

This  terrace  is  the  last  touch  upon  the  Capitol.  The  great  pile  to-day, 
although  designed  piece  by  piece  under  the  direction  of  various  architects, 
has  none  of  the  patchwork  appearance  common  to  so  many  of  the  great  build- 
ings of  the  world.  From  any  one  of  the  magnificent  views  to  be  had  of  the 
imposing  structure,  it  presents  the  symmetry,  unity  and  classic  grace  of  a  build- 
ing designed  and  executed  by  one  master  mind.  It  has  grown  as  the  nation 
has  grown.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  by  Washington  in  1793  ;  the  terrace  was 
finished  nearly  a  hundred  years  later,  in  1891  ;  and  yet  the  Capitol  will  never 
be  complete  while  the  nation  lasts.  The  impress  of  each  succeeding  genera- 
tion will  be  found  upon  its  walls,  marking  the  intellectual,  artistic  and  gov- 
ernmental advancement  of  the  age.  The  great  pile  is  national,  American, 
human.  On  its  walls  is  written  the  nation's  history.  Its  corridors  resound 
to  the  footsteps  of  her  living  heroes  and  sages;  its  every  stone  echoes  the. 
departed  voices  of  her  greatest  dead. 


The  National  Capitol  73 

Marshall's  Statue. — At  the  foot  of  the  terrace,  between  the  two  main 
western  stairways,  is  a  bronze  statue  on  whose  base  is  inscribed :  "  John  Mar- 
shall, Chief  Justice  of  the  United  States.  Erected  by  the  Bar  and  the  Con- 
gress of  the  United  States,  A.D.  MDCCCLXXXIV."  This  admirable  work 
is  by  the  American  poet-sculptor,  W.  W.  Story,  and  was  executed  in  Rome  in 
1883.  On  the  north  side  of  the  base  is  a  basso-rilievo  in  white  marble 
representing  "  Minerva  Dictating  the  Constitution  to  Young  America";  on 
the  opposite  side,  "  Victory  Leading  Young  America  to  Swear  Fidelity  at  the 
Altar  of  the  Union."  The  statue  reminds  us  of  the  recollections  of  Good- 
rich, who  visited  the  city  in  the  winter  of  1819-20:  "Among  the  judges 
were  Marshall  and  Story,  both  of  whom  riveted  my  attention.  The  former 
was  now  sixty-four  years  old,  and  still  in  the  full  vigor  of  his  career.  He  was 
tall  and  thin,  with  a  small  face,  expressive  of  acuteness  and  amiability.  His 
personal  manner  was  entirely  dignified,  yet  his  brow  did  not  seem  to  me  to 
indicate  the  full  force  of  his  great  abilities  and  lofty  moral  qualities.  I  saw 
him  many  times  afterward,  and  learned  to  look  with  reverence  upon  him,  as 
being  the  best  representation  of  the  era  and  spirit  of  Washington,  which 
lingered  amongst  us." 


STORY  S    MARSHALL 


THE   CAMPUS 

Greenough's  Statue  of  Washington. — On  the  eastern  plaza,  about 
five  hundred  feet  from  the  Capitol,  resting  upon  a  low  granite  pedestal,  is  a 
colossal  statue  in  marble  of  Washington,  which  has  enjoyed  a  remarkable  his- 
tory. The  figure,  scantily  arrayed  in  the  toga  of  a  Roman  senator,  is  repre- 
sented in  a  sitting  posture.  The  left  hand  clasps  a  short  sword,  the  right  points 
towards  heaven.  This  is  the  work  of  Horatio  Greenough. 

"  It  is  the  birth  of  my  thought,"  the  artist  writes.  "  I  have  sacrificed 
to  it  the  flower  of  my  days  and  the  freshness  of  my  strength;  its  every  linea- 
ment has  been  moistened  with  the  sweat  of  my  toil  and  the  tears  of  my  exile. 
I  would  not  barter  away  its  association  with  my  name  for  the  proudest  fortune 
avarice  ever  dreamed  of.  In  giving  it  up  to  the  nation  that  has  done  me  the 
honor  to  order  it  at  my  hands,  I  respectfully  claim  for  it  that  protection  which 
it  is  the  boast  of 'civilization  to  afford  to  art,  and  which  a  generous  enemy  has 
more  than  once  been  seen  to  extend  even  to  the  monuments  of  his  own  defeat." 

Greenough  must  have  had  an  attractive  personality  to  call  forth  the  fol- 
lowing praise  from  Emerson :  "  At  Florence,  chief  among  artists  I  found 
Horatio  Greenough,  the  American  sculptor.  His  face  was  so  handsome,  and 
his  person  so  well  formed,  that  he  might  be  pardoned,  if,  as  was  alleged,  the 
face  of  his  Medora,  and  the  figure  of  a  colossal  Achilles  in  clay,  were  ideali- 
zations of  his  own.  Greenough  was  a  superior  man,  ardent  and  eloquent,  and 
all  his  opinions  had  elevation  and  magnanimity.  He  was  a  votary  of  the 
Greeks,  and  impatient  of  Gothic  art." 

On  the  base  of  the  statue,  also  designed  by  Greenough,  are  inscribed  words 
from  General  Henry  Lee's  oration  before  Congress,  December  16,  1799,  which 
were  embodied  as  well  in  the  resolution  on  the  death  of  Washington,  intro- 
duced into  the  House  on  the  i9th  by  John  Marshall,  then  a  Representative 
from  Virginia:  "First  in  War,  First  in  Peace,  First  in  the  Hearts  of  his 
Countrymen."  On  the  back  of  the  Roman  chair  is  the  following  Latin 
inscription : 

Simulacrum  istud 

ad  magnum  Libertatis  exemplum 

nee  sine  ipsa  duraturum 

Horatius  Greenough 

faciebat.* 

*  Horatio  Greenough  made  this  statue  as  a  grand  example  of  Liberty  nor  without  it 
would  it  endure.        Simulacrum  is  generally  used  of  a  statue  of  a  god  ;  therefore  signum 


The   National  Capitol 


75 


The  desire  to  honor  Washington  with  a  suitable  statue  was  early  manifest. 
On  August  7,  1783,  the  Continental  Congress  resolved  unanimously,  ten  States 
being  present,  that  an  equestrian  statue  of  George  Washington  be  erected  at 
the  place  where  the  residence 
of  Congress  should  be  estab- 
lished. The  resolution  further 
specified   that    he   be   repre- 
sented  "  in  a  Roman   dress, 
holding  a   truncheon  in   his 
right  hand,  and  his  head  en- 
circled with  a  laurel  wreath." 
This  resolution  w  is  never  car- 
ried into  effect. 

On  the  1 8th  of  February, 
1832,   the   House  of    Repre- 
sentatives resolved  "  That  the 
President  cf  the  United  States 
be  authorized  to  employ  Ho- 
ratio  Greenough,    of    Massa- 
chusetts, to  execute,  in  mar- 
ble,   a  full  length  pedestrian 
statue     of     Washington,     to 
be   placed    in  the   centre  of 
the   rotundo  of  the    Capitol  ; 
the    head  to  be   a   copy        j 
of  Houdon's  Washington, 
and  the  accessories  to  be 
left   to  the   judgment  of 
the  artist."      The    Secre- 
tary of  State  immediately  GREENOUGH's  WASHINGTON 
addressed  a    letter  of  in- 
structions to  Greenough  for  carrying  the  resolution  into  effect.     The  contract 
itself  with  the  artist  was  made  under  the  act  of  July  i4th,  which  appropriated 
$5,000  "  to  enable  the  President  of  the  United  States   to  contract  with   a 
skilful  artist  to  execute,  in  marble,  a  pedestrian  statue  of  George  Washington, 
to  be  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  rotundo  of  the  Capitol." 

The  question  as  to  what  constituted  a  pedestrian  statue  was  popularly 
mooted  at  the  time.     The  artist  evidently  disregarded  the  controversy,  if  he 

would  be  better.  Fecit  would  be  better  Latin  than  faciebat ;  while  a  decidedly  preferable 
arrangement  of  words  would  be  "ad  exemplum  Libertatis  magnum  nee  sine  ipsa  dura- 
turum" — "great  and  not  destined  without  it  to  endure."  The  one  thing  absolutely 
wrong,  as  it  seems,  is  is/uJ.  which  should  be  hoc. 


76  The  National  Capitol 

was  at  all  aware  of  it,  and  followed  the  bent  of  his  own  desire ;  and  the 
authorities  themselves  accepted  without  question  the  undraped  Roman 
Washington  enthroned  in  a  chair  of  state  in  fulfilment  of  a  contract  which, 
as  well  as  the  act  of  September  9,  1841,  making  the  final  appropriation, 
expressly  called  for  &  pedestrian  statue. 

The  statue,  which  weighs  nearly  twenty-one  tons,  was  chiseled  in  Florence. 
Upon  its  completion,  the  difficulty  of  bringing  it  safely  to  America  arose; 
and  by  a  resolution  passed  May  27,  1840,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  was  au- 
thorized to  take  immediate  measures  for  its  transportation  and  erection  in  the 
National  Capitol.  Commodore  Hull  was  sent  with  a  vessel  of  war  to  take  it 
on  board,  but  when  he  found  it  would  be  necessary  to  rip  up  her  decks  in 
order  to  place  the  cumbersome  burden  in  the  hold,  he  demurred.  A  merchant- 
man, the  American  ship  Sea,  Captain  Delano,  was  then  chartered  for  the 
purpose,  her  hatches  enlarged,  and  the  decks  otherwise  prepared  to  receive  the 
huge  marble.  The  passage  was  made  in  safety  in  spite  of  the  danger  from 
such  an  unwieldy  cargo,  and  the  statue  was  transferred  to  the  Capitol  without 
breaking,  in  1841.  The  doors  at  the  east  front  of  the  building  were  found, 
however,  to  be  too  small ;  and  the  masonry  had  to  be  cut  away  before  the 
marble  finally  reached  its  proposed  resting  place  in  the  rotunda,  at  Green- 
ough's  request,  between  its  center  and  the  door  leading  to  the  Library. 

"  In  this  hall,"  writes  Dickens  in  1842,  "  Mr.  Greenough's  large  statue  of 
Washington  has  been  lately  placed.  It  has  great  merits  of  course,  but  it 
struck  me  as  being  rather  strained  and  violent  for  its  subject.  I  could  wish, 
however,  to  have  seen  it  in  a  better  light  than  it  can  ever  be  viewed  in  where 
it  stands." 

The  effect  of  the  statue  generally  was  disappointing.  It  awakened  the 
ridicule  especially  of  the  Congressional  wits  and  connoisseurs ;  and  the  Sen- 
ate in  1842  added  an  amendment,  which  was  finally  adopted,  to  the  appropri- 
ation bill,  providing  $1,000  for  its  removal.  When  on  May  nth  this  clause 
came  before  the  House,  Mr.  Keim  of  Pennsylvania  moved  to  amend  it  by 
"  an  appropriation  of  $3,500  for  the  construction  of  a  suitable  pedestal  to 
the  statue,  to  be  approved  by  the  President  and  heads  of  Departments." 
This  was  the  straw  that  broke  the  Congressional  camel's  back.  The  debate 
which  ensued  was  highly  amusing,  and  if  not  in  the  Globes,  might  require 
expurgation. 

Mr.  Keim  in  support  of  his  amendment  said  that,  so  far  as  the  commit- 
tee were  concerned,  they  were  willing  that  "  the  statue  should  remain  as  it 
was,  much  like  a  Hindoo  suttee,  with  a  marble  corpse  on  a  funeral  pile.  The 
question  was  merely  whether  the  statue  of  Washington  should  remain  on  a 
pedestal  of  yellow  pine  boards,  covered  over  with  coal  dust,  or  be  removed 
to  a  more  appropriate  place,  and  have  a  more  suitable  pedestal."  Mr.  Joseph 
E..  Ingersoll  observed  that  "  the  statue  had  been  placed  in  the  centre  of  the 


The  National  Capitol  77 

rotundo,  in  a  spot  which  had  been  previously  prepared  to  receive  so  great  a 
weight,  by  the  erection  in  the  story  below,  of 'a  mass  of  solid  mason  work 
reaching  up  to  and  supporting  the  floor  of  the  apartment.  The  Secretary 
had  given  directions  to  the  sculptor  Pettrick  to  prepare  the  design  of  a  suita- 
ble pedestal." 

After  a  few  more  words  by  Mr.  Ingersoll,  eulogistic  of  Pettrick,  who  was 
a  pupil  of  Thorwaldsen,  Mr.  Wise  inquired  whether  "  the  pedestal  was  not  in 
strictness  a  part  of  the  statue  and  whether  Mr.  Greenough  was  not  bound  to 
complete  it  as  such  for  the  compensation  already  allowed  him  ?  "  He  went  on 
to  say  that,  "  to  himself,  it  seemed  something  like  Jewing  the  Government  to 
send  them  an  incomplete  thing,  and  then  claim  to  do  the  residue  for  a  new 
compensation.''  He  ridiculed  the  statue  roundly,  and  said,  in  commenting 
upon  its  want  of  drapery,  that  "  he  must  confess  it  had  on  him  much  the  same 
effect  it  had  on  a  gentleman  of  Maryland,  one  of  the  old  school,  who,  having 
heard  so  much  said  of  the  statue,  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  a  long  distance 
purposely  to  look  at  it.  Having  hitched  his  horse  before  the  Capitol  he 
mounted  the  steps  and  entered  the  rotundo,  where  after  looking  at  the  statue 
for  a  few  seconds,  turned  from  it  as  he  said  the  father  of  his  country  would 
do,  who  was  the  most  modest  of  men." 

After  exhausting  himself  in  ridiculing  "  the  naked  statue  of  George  Wash- 
ington," Mr.  Wise  turned  his  attention  to  the  inscription  on  the  back,  which 
he  characterized  as  "bad  Latin  written  in  Italy."  At  Mr.  Fillmore's  inter- 
position, the  chair  here  called  Mr.  Wise  to  order  for  irrelevancy,  but  he  was 
not  done  with  the  Latin.  He  criticised  the  use  of  "  the  imperfect  tense  '  facie- 
bat '  for  '  fecit '  "  ;  and  went  on  to  say  that  "  a  countryman  entering  the  ro- 
tundo by  the  Library  door,  seeing  the  back  of  the  statue,  would  very  naturally 
ask,  '  Who  is  this  ?  '  And  looking  at  the  inscription,  would  say  to  himself, 
'  Simul  Acrum  !  Who  is  Simul  Acrum  ?  '  But  the  next  word  [istud]  would 
tell  him."  The  speaker  further  said  that  "  he  preferred  seeing  Washington 
as  Houdon  had  represented  him  in  the  statue  in  the  Capitol  at  Richmond, 
about  which  Persico,  the  sculptor,  had  told  him  this  anecdote.  When  he  had 
visited  Richmond  he  had  gone  to  see  the  statue.  Now  Persico,  although  an 
Italian,  gesticulated  with  all  the  extravagance  of  a  Frenchman;  and  as  he 
stood  looking  at  it  in  admiration  of  the  beautiful  head,  expressed  by  gestures 
his  abhorrence  of  the  dress  and  figure,  and  his  wish  that  the  head  could  be  cut 
off  and  preserved,  while  the  rest  was  destroyed,  A  Virginia  sentinel,  who  was 
always  on  guard  in  the  space  before  the  statue,  seeing  a  foreigner  making  signs 
to  show  his  wish  to  cut  off  Washington's  head,  very  unceremoniously  stepped 
up  to  him,  saying  :  '  There's  the  door  !  Begone  !  '  So  in  regard  to  this  statue 
of  Greenough  ;  if  the  head  could  be  preserved,  he  would  vote  to  throw  the 
body  into  the  Potomac  to  hide  it  from  the  eyes  of  ail  the  world,  lest  the  world 
should  think  that  that  was  the  people's  conception  of  their  Nation's  father." 


78  The  National  Capitol 

Not  long  after  the  appropriation  for  the  removal  had  been  made,  Green- 
ough,  convinced,  as  he  says,  that  "  the  descent  of  the  light  upon  the  work  is 
so  nearly  vertical  as  to  throw  all  the  lower  portions  of  the  face  into  shade, 
and  to  give  a  false  and  constrained  effect  to  the  whole  monument,"  memori- 
alized Congress  to  remove  the  statue  to  the  grounds  in  front  of  the  western 
fa9ade  of  the  Capitol.  The  position  recommended  a  few  days  later  by  the 
committee  was  "  in  the  open  green  space  in  the  eastern  grounds,  lying  directly 
in  front  of  the  main  entrance  to  the  rotundo,  and  between  the  two  gravelled 
shaded  walks  leading  eastward  from  the  Capitol  through  those  grounds." 

In  his  memorial,  Greenough  takes  occasion  to  answer  his  detractors  for 
their  criticisms  of  his  statue  on  the  score  of  nakedness  :  "  When  contempo- 
rary designs  had  portrayed  Frederic  the  2d  with  his  huge  walking  stick,  and 
his  preposterous  queue,  when  the  sculptors  of  the  age  of  Louis  i4th  had  elabo- 
rately copied  the  redundant  periwig,  the  cumbrous  robes,  and  stilted  shoes  of 
that  monarch,  without  doubt  the  assembled  courts  of  France  and  of  Prussia 
saw  in  these  representations  images  as  imposing  as  they  were  exact.  What  is 
the  effect  which  they  now  produce  ?  Irresistible  laughter. 

"  In  the  celebrated  group  of  Laocoon,  that  personage,  though  overtaken 
by  the  ministers  of  vengeance  while  officiating  at  the  altar,  is  represented 
without  his  pontifical  robes.  He  is  naked.  Though  the  Romans  had  not 
only  a  distinct  national  costume,  but  different  dresses  for  the  several  orders  in 
the  state,  yet  the  Senate,  to  record  its  veneration  for  Pompey,  erected  within 
its  halls  a  naked  statue  of  that  champion.  Though  Napoleon  gave  what  has 
to  many  seemed  an  undue  attention  to  his  imperial  attire,  and  though  the 
associations  connected  with  his  gray  coat  and  his  three-cornered  hat  always 
commanded  the  enthusiasm  of  the  army,  yet  when  Canova  was  called  on  to 
cross  the  Alps  that  he  might  give  to  posterity  the  image  of  the  emperor  it  was 
without  either  the  clap-trap  of  the  palace,  or  the  conventional  sublime  of  the 
uniform,  that  he  chose  to  appear  before  his  successors.  He  was  represented 
naked." 

"  Your  memorialist,"  continues  Greenough,  "  having  already  outlived  the 
sneer  with  which  it  was  intended  to  crush  his  first  effort  to  make  a  bust  of  a 
distinguished  fellow-citizen  'without  a  shirt,'  trusts  that  the  prejudice  which 
has  yielded  in  these  few  years  the  neck  and  shoulders  as  objects  not  unfit  to 
be  looked  upon,  will  continue  to  decline  before  the  efforts  of  high  art,  until 
his  successors  in  sculpture  shall  be  enabled  to  show  that  the  inspired  writer 
meant  not  merely  the  face,  when  he  declared  that  God  had  made  man  after  his 
own  image." 

The  limitation  of  the  contract  regarding  cost  was  as  freely  exceeded  as 
its  requirements  in  design.  From  1832  to  1835  inclusive,  four  appropriations 
of  $5,000  each  were  voted  by  Congress  to  pay  for  the  statue,  and  the  act  of 
1841,  already  referred  to,  provided  $15,100  more,  or  as  much  thereof  as  might 


The  National  Capitol  79 

be  necessary.  Thus  far,  this  horseless  "  pedestrian  "  statue  has  cost  the  gov- 
ernment, including  the  amounts  paid  to  the  artist,  for  work  and  materials,  the 
cost  of  transportation  from  Italy  to  the  Navy  Yard,  from  that  place  to  the 
rotunda  and  thence  to  its  present  site,  $42,170.74. 

The  ill-fated  statue  is  artistic,  but  thoroughly  inappropriate  to  the  purposes 
for  which  it  was  executed,  and  thoroughly  meaningless  in  design.  The  critic, 
however,  must  bear  in  mind  the  artist's  point  of  view.  "  Had  I  been 
ordered,"  he  writes,  "  to  make  a  statue  for  any  square  or  similar  situation  at 
the  metropolis,  I  should  have  represented  Washington  on  horseback,  and  in 
his  actual  dress.  I  would  have  made  my  work  purely  an  historical  one.  I 
have  treated  the  subject  poetically  and  confess  I  should  feel  pain  in  seeing 
it  placed  in  direct  and  flagrant  contrast  with  every-day  life.  Moreover,  I 
modelled  the  figure  without  reference  to  an  exposure  to  rain  and  frost,  so  that 
there  are  many  parts  of  the  statue  where  the  water  would  collect  and  soon 
disintegrate  and  rot  the  stone,  if  it  did  not  by  freezing  split  off  large  frag- 
ments of  the  drapery."  To  guard  against  this,  the  statue  each  winter  is  housed 
where  it  stands  in  a  hideous  frame  structure  which  is  an  eye-sore  to  the  Capi- 
tol. The  modern  suggestion  of  placing  it  in  a  pretty  Greek  temple,  no 
doubt  took  rise  in  the  artist's  own  suggestion  at  the  time  of  the  removal,  to 
erect  over  it  "  such  a  shelter  as,  while  it  shall  insure  suitable  protection  and 
light  for  the  statue,  shall  be,  by  its  form,  proportions,  and  material,  harmoni- 
ous with  the  Capitol  itself,  and  ornamental  to  the  grounds.  The  building 
thus  proposed,  while  it  may  be  considered  a  mausoleum  of  Washington,  will 
also  afford  a  proper  receptacle  for  such  other  busts  and  statues  of  historic  inter- 
est as  are  at  present  entirely  lost  to  the  public."  Who  would  dare  to  propose 
this  to  Congress  to-day  ? 

Notable  Events. — Wednesday  evenings  in  the  summer  months,  when 
the  weather  permits,  the  Marine  Band  plays  on  the  eastern  plaza  for  the 
education  and  enjoyment  of  the  general  public.  This  open  campus  has  been 
the  scene  of  nearly  as  much  historic  happening  as  the  great  pile  itself. 

On  the  night  of  April  14,  1865,  two  horsemen  might  have  been  seen  gal- 
loping wildly  up  New  Jersey  Avenue,  crossing  this  hill  towards  the  bridge  to 
Anacostia  and  hastening  on  to  Maryland.  In  their  flight,  they  almost  crossed 
the  shadow  of  the  dome,  but  a  short  distance  from  the  spot  where  Lincoln 
twice  took  the  oath  of  office  as  President.  The  one  was  John  Wilkes  Booth, 
the  other,  Harold,  his  accomplice. 

We  recall  a  ghastly  coincidence.  The  van  which,  during  the  long  trial, 
carried  Charles  Guiteau  from  the  jail  to  the  court  and  return,  daily  took 
almost  the  same  route  along  which  Booth  galloped  that  awful  night,  and 
equally  within  sight  of  the  spot  where  Garfield  became  President. 

This  campus  was  the  objective  point  of  Coxey's  "  Army  of  the  Common- 
weal "  in  the  year  of  our  Ix>rd,  1894.  It  was  May  Day,  and  the  plaza  was 


8o  The  National  Capitol 

thronged  with  holiday-makers  curious  to  look  upon  the  so-called  army.  Its 
three  or  four  hundred  men,  ragged,  dirty,  unsheltered  and  weary  after  their 
march  of  six  hundred  miles,  had  been  scantily  fed  by  the  chimera  held  out 
to  them  by  "  General  "  Coxey,  who  proposed,  from  the  steps  of  the  Capitol, 
to  deliver  an  oration  petitioning  Congress  to  issue  immediately  $500,000,000 
in  paper  money  to  be  used  in  alleviating  the  sufferings  of  the  workingmen 
throughout  the  country  by  employing  them  upon  the  public  roads.  The 
"army"  was  a  curious  spectacle,  as  heterogeneous  as  its  contingent,  the 
"  Coxey  Band,"  each  member  of  which  had  devised  some  unique  instrument 
of  torture  of  his  own,  to  say  nothing  of  his  individual  tune.  By  the  "  Gen- 
eral's" side  in  a  phaeton  sat  Mrs.  Coxey,  proudly  holding  in  her  arms  their 
promising  infant,  "  Legal  Tender"  Coxey. 

Congress  and  the  city  officials  were  so  impressed  with  the  dangerous  aspect 
of  the  invasion,  which  the  press  had  magnified  for  weeks,  that  squads  of 
mounted  police  guarded  the  Capitol  reservation.  The  "  army"  reached  the 
grounds  about  one  o'clock.  City  policemen  escorted  the  "  General  "  through 
the  dense  crowd  to  the  central  eastern  steps.  Here  he  was  within  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Capitol  police,  who  literally  elbowed  him,  his  manuscripts 
and  "  army"  back  into  the  jurisdiction  of  the  city  authorities.  The  "  Gen- 
eral "  after  some  oratorical  remonstrance  gave  up  the  fight.  Not  so  his 
lieutenants,  "  Marshal  "  Carl  Browne  and  Christopher  Columbus  Jones  !  In 
their  ardor  for  the  good  cause,  these  worthies  unfortunately  disregarded  the 
law  to  "  Keep  off  the  Grass,"  whereupon  they  were  promptly  surrounded  by 
officers  on  horseback  and  arrested.  An  hour  later,  no  trace  of  the  contending 
forces  was  left  upon  the  battle-field. 

In  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  notice  that  it  is  forbidden  by  act  of 
Congress  to  "  make  any  harangue  or  oration  "  within  the  Capitol  grounds.  It 
also  is  forbidden  by  the  same  act  there  "  to  parade,  stand,  or  move  in  proces- 
ions  or  assemblages,  or  display  any  flag,  banner,  or  device  designed  or  adapted 
to  bring  into  public  notice  any  party,  organization,  or  movement."  Congress 
has  placed  it,  however,  within  the  power  of  the  President  of  the  Senate  and 
the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  acting  concurrently,  to  suspend 
on  proper  occasions  the  above  prohibition.  In  the  bitter  campaign  of  the 
fall  of  1896,  permission  was  granted  to  William  Jennings  Bryan  to  speak 
from  the  eastern  steps.  Speaker  Reed,  though  among  the  strongest  political 
antagonists  of  the  principles  to  be  presented  by  the  orator,  generously  united 
with  the  Vice-President  in  granting  the  permission.  Mr.  Bryan,  however, 
finally  abandoned  his  intention  as  likely  to  form  a  bad  precedent. 

Inaugurations. — From  the  central  portico,  once  in  four  years,  a  large 
platform  is  customarily  erected,  which  holds  in  the  neighborhood  of  2,500 
persons.  At  the  front  of  this  wooden  platform  is  placed  a  small  raised  pulpit, 
and  there  on  the  4th  of  March,  rain  or  shine,  the  President-elect  is  sworn  into 


The  National  Capitol  81 

office  by  the  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States.  The 
crowd  filling  the  space  below,  eager  both  to  see  the  ceremony  and  listen  to 
the  inaugural,  has  been  estimated  often  at  over  100,000  persons. 

The  first  citizen  who  took  the  oath  of  office  as  President  out-of-doors, 
after  the  removal  of  the  seat  of  government  to  Washington,  was  James 
Monroe,  on  March  4,  1817.  The  National  Intelligencer  of  the  day  before 
published  a  programme  of  the  ceremonies,  which  were  to  have  taken  place  in 
the  hall  occupied  by  the  Representatives,  where  the  Senators  were  to  enjoy  the 
privilege  of  the  front  row  of  chairs  and  the  Members  find  such  accommodations 
as  they  could;  but  in  its  issue  of  the  4th,  that  paper  said  :  "  The  committee 
of  arrangements  have  been  induced  to  alter  the  form  of  the  ceremony,  in- 
tended to  have  been  observed  at  the  inauguration  of  the  4th  March,  and  the 
President  elect  will  take  the  oath  of  office  at  12  o'clock,  in  a  Portico,  to  be 
erected  in  front  of  the  Congress  Hall  for  that  purpose.  The  cause  of  this 
change  of  arrangement  is  principally  ascribed,  we  believe,  to  fears  of  the 
strength  of  the  building  in  which  Congress  sit,  but  in  a  degree  also  imputa- 
ble  to  a  difference  between  the  two  Houses,  or  their  officers,  in  the  mode  of 
appropriation  of  the  Representatives'  Chamber  to  the  purposes  of  this  cere- 
mony." Congress  was  then  sitting  in  the  "  Old  Capitol  "  east  of  the  grounds. 
Vice-President-elect  Daniel  D.  Tompkins  was  sworn  into  office  by  Mr.  Gail- 
lard,  and  delivered  his  address.  The  Senate  then  adjourned  for  an  hour  upon 
the  motion  of  Mr.  Barbour — Madison,  Monroe  and  the  justices  of  the  Supreme 
Court  having  previously  entered  the  chamber.  The  Senators  and  marshals  of 
the  day  accompanied  the  presidential  party  to  the  portico,  where  the  inau- 
gural was  delivered  and  the  oath  of  office  administered  by  Chief  Justice 
Marshall. 

John  Quiiicy  Adams  took  the  oath  of  office  on  the  central  portico  in 
1825,  and  it  is  said  that  Andrew  Jackson,  the  unsuccessful  candidate,  was 
the  first  to  take  the  President's  hand  after  the  ceremony.  The  Intelligencer 
tells  us :  "  No  less  than  four  large  eagles  were  seen  poising  themselves  di- 
rectly over  the  Capitol  for  about  ten  minutes,  when  one  of  them,  apparently 
larger  than  the  rest,  began  to  descend,  and  after  making  a  number  of  circles 
around  the  centre  dome  arose  in  graceful  spirals.  Was  their  attention  at- 
tracted by  the  immense  concourse  of  people  about  the  place,  or  was  the  par- 
ent eagle,  which  before  made  her  appearance  in  almost  the  same  place  when 
our  last  venerable  Chief  Justice  was  conducted  into  office,  now  sent  by  our 
guardian  spirit  with  her  brood  from  their  mountain  eyry  to  augur  continued 
and  increased  prosperity  to  our  happy  country  ?  " 

Four  years  later  the  great  Chief  Justice  administered  the  oath  upon  the 
same  spot  to  Jackson  at  his  first  inauguration,  which  was  the  scene  of  un- 
precedented enthusiasm.  The  President-elect  and  Van  Buren  rode  to  the 
Capitol  in  a  phaeton,  presented  by  citizens  of  New  York,  made  of  wood  from 
6 


82  The  National  Capitol 

the  old  Constitution.  The  appearance  of  the  rabble  which  overran  Washing- 
ton on  this  occasion  has  often  been  compared  with  the  descent  of  the  barba- 
rians upon  Rome.  From  the  descriptions  of  the  doings  of  the  people,  the 
comparison  is  not  unfavorable  to  the  barbarians.  A  ship's  cable,  stretched 
across  the  central  eastern  steps,  about  two-thirds  of  the  way  up,  could  scarcely 
restrain  the  madly  enthusiastic  throng  as  "Old  Hickory,"  the  hero  of  New 
Orleans,  came  upon  the  President's  portico  to  deliver  his  inaugural.  Ten 
thousand  persons,  which  was  a  huge  multitude  for  that  day,  are  estimated  to 
have  .witnessed  the  exercises  and  afterwards  to  have  run  riot  in  the  halls  and 
upon  the  lawns  of  the  White  House  in  wild  demonstrations  of  joy.  Marshall 
administered  the  oath,  for  the  last  time,  again  to  Jackson  in  1833. 

Chief  Justice  Taney  administered  the  oath  of  office  on  the  east  front  of 
the  Capitol  to  Van  Buren  in  1837,  to  the  elder  Harrison  in  1841,  to 
Polk  in  1845,  to  Taylor  in  1849,  to  Pierce,  who,  it  is  claimed,  was  the  first 
to  memorize  his  inaugural,  in  1853,  to  Buchanan  in  1857,  and  to  Lincoln, 
on  the  occasion  of  his  first  inauguration,  in  1861.  Lincoln  was  then  stopping 
at  Willard's  Hotel,  and  Buchanan,  who  had  been  detained  at  the  Capitol 
signing  bills,  drove  thither  for  him.  On  the  return,  the  open  barouche,  with 
Senators  Baker  and  Pearce  on  the  front  seat,  was  surrounded  by  a  guard  of 
honor  of  regular  cavalry.  After  the  ceremony  in  the  Senate  Chamber,  Mr. 
Baker  formally  introduced  Lincoln  to  the  30,000  persons  in  waiting  upon  the 
eastern  plaza.  When  the  President-elect  began  to  read  his  inaugural,  the 
wind  was  blowing  briskly,  and  he  laid  his  heavy  cane  across  the  manuscript 
to  keep  the  sheets  from  flying  away.  He  looked  pale  and  anxious,  but  read 
his  address  firmly  and  distinctly  despite  the  lack  of  applause. 

It  fell  to  the  lot  of  Taney' s  successor  on  the  bench,  Chief  Justice  Chase, 
to  administer  the  oath  of  office  out-of-doors,  in  front  of  the  same  central 
eastern  portico,  to  Lincoln  at  his  second  inauguration  in  1865  and  to  Grant 
in  1869  and  1873.  President  Johnson,  it  seems,  did  not  accompany  Grant  to 
the  Capitol ;  it  having  been  decided  that  they  ride  in  separate  carriages,  he 
refused  altogether  to  attend  the  ceremony.  President  Hayes  was  here  sworn 
into  office  by  Chief  Justice  Waite  on  March  5,  1877 — the  4th  coming  on 
Sunday.  The  same  oath  had  been  administered  to  him  by  the  Chief  Justice 
in  the  White  House  on  the  Saturday  preceding  at  five  minutes  past  five  o'clock, 
to  prevent  any  difficulty  in  the  way  of  riots  which  it  was  feared  might  occur 
because  of  the  political  bitterness  at  the  final  determination  of  the  Electoral 
Commission  against  Samuel  J.  Tilden.  Garfield  took  the  oath  of  office  on 
the  east  front  of  the  Capitol  in  1881,  the  oath  being  administered  by  Chief 
Justice  Waite.  Hancock,  the  unsuccessful  candidate,  was  present  in  the  full 
uniform  of  a  Major-General. 

March  4,  1885,  was  a  glorious,  propitious  day.  The  people  hopefully 
exclaimed:  "Cleveland's  luck!"  The  President-elect  delivered  his  first 


The  National  Capitol  83 

inaugural  from  a  platform  erected  on  the  east  front,  after  which  Chief  Justice 
Waite  administered  the  oath  of  office  on  a  small,  well-worn,  morocco-covered, 
gilt-edged  Bible,  marked  "  S.  G.  Cleveland."  It  was  the  gift  of  the  Presi- 
dent's mother,  when  a  young  man  he  first  left  home  to  seek  his  fortune.  The 
same  little  Bible  was  again  called  into  use  eight  years  later,  though  Chief 
Justice  Fuller  then  officiated.  The  day  was  not  the  same,  however.  Snow 
fell  in  huge  wet  flakes.  There  was  a  spatter  as  the  wheels  of  the  state  carriage 
turned  up  Pennsylvania  Avenue.  It  was  almost  as  cold  as  the  day  of  Grant's 
second  inauguration  in  1873.  The  pedestrians  shivered;  the  horsemen 
scented  pneumonia  in  the  air. 

On  the  same  spot,  in  1889  and  1897  respectively,  Benjamin  Harrison 
in  the  face  of  a  driving  storm,  and  Wiljiiam  McKinley  on  a  day  so  beautiful 
that  it  seemed  to  herald  returning  prosperity,  received  the  oath  of  office, 
administered  by  Chief  Justice  Fuller,  in  the  presence  of  the  people.  The 
arrangements  at  the  inauguration  of  President  McKinley  differed  from  those 
of  his  predecessors  in  that  the  platform  constructed  for  the  ceremony  extended 
southward  from  the  steps  upon  the  east  front  of  the  Senate  wing,  whence  only 
it  could  be  reached.  The  President-elect  delivered  his  inaugural  and  took 
the  oath  of  office  upon  a  small  pulpit  at  the  corner  of  the  platform  instead  of 
at  the  center,  as  had  before  been  customary.  This  permitted  the  crowd  in 
the  open  campus  to  have  a  better  view  of  the  proceedings,  as  they  could  see 
the  inauguration  from  two  directions.  Upon  the  steps  of  the  central  eastern 
portico,  another  platform,- disconnected,  formed  a  reserved  gallery  from  which 
all  was  equally  well  seen. 

It  has  been  customary  during  the  later  administrations  for  the  President's 
carriage,  his  escort  and  a  part  of  the  procession,  just  before  noon,  to  pass  up 
Pennsylvania  Avenue  to  the  Peace  Monument  and  thence  along  North  B  Street 
to  the  top  of  the  hill,  where  the  President  and  President-elect  enter  the 
grounds.  The  entire  procession,  both  military  and  civil,  is  massed  here  and 
in  the  adjacent  streets  until  the  completion  of  the  exercises,  when  the  return 
is  made  along  the  same  route,  the  President's  carriage  and  guard  of  honor 
being  placed  in  the  van  in  order  that  he  may  reach  the  Executive  Mansion 
first.  The  state  carriage  leaves  the  procession  at  the  Treasury,  and  passes 
quickly  behind  that  building.  The  President  reviews  the  marching  troops 
and  citizens  from  the  stand  prepared  for  the  occasion  in  front  of  the  White 
House  lawn. 

At  the  last  inauguration,  the  beautiful  state  carriage,  drawn  by  four  black 
horses,  contained  on  the  back  seat,  as  is  now  customary,  the  outgoing  and 
the  incoming  President,  Cleveland  and  McKinley;  opposite  them  sat  Mr. 
Sherman  of  Ohio  and  Mr.  Mitchell  of  Wisconsin,  who  composed  the  com- 
mittee appointed  by  the  Senate  for  that  purpose.  During  the  drive  to  the 
Capitol,  President  Cleveland  occupied  the  seat  of  honor  on  the  right; 


84  The  National  Capitol 

returning,  after  the  inauguration,  that  place  became  the  prerogative  of  Presi- 
dent McKinley.  During  the  ride  to  and  from  the  Capitol,  Cleveland  with 
becoming  dignity  allowed  his  silk  hat  to  remain  upon  his  head,  while  McKin- 
ley, with  hat  in  hand,  responded  to  the  cheers  of  the  crowd  right  and  left 
along  the  way. 

Centennial  and  Christian  Endeavor  Celebrations. — The  exercises 
attending  the  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  laying  of  the  original  corner-stone 
of  the  Capitol  by  George  Washington,  September  18,  1793,  were  held  on  the 


THE   CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

east  front  of  the  Capitol.  Congress  adjourned  to  attend  the  ceremony  in  a 
body.  President  Cleveland  was  present,  and  delivered  a  few  appropriate  and 
well-chosen  words  of  introduction.  He  was  followed  by  Vice-President  Stev- 
enson, who  represented  the  Senate ;  by  Speaker  Crisp,  who  spoke  on  behalf  of 
the  House  of  Representatives ;  and  by  Mr.  Justice  Brown,  who  voiced  the 
sentiments  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  in  a  graceful  speech 
containing  some  research.  One  of  the  Commissioners  responded  for  the 
District  of  Columbia.  William  Wirt  Henry  of  Virginia,  a  grandson  of  Pat- 
rick Henry,  as  the  orator  of  the  day,  delivered  the  principal  address.  The 
programme  was  interspersed  with  music  by  the  Marine  Band,  under  the  lead- 
ership of  Professor  Fanciulli,  and  by  a  grand  centennial  chorus  of  1,500 
voices,  trained  for  the  occasion. 

In  the  evening,  the  campus  formed  a  brilliantly  lighted  amphitheater  for 
the  continuation  of  the  exercises.  The  programme  was  largely  of  a  musical 
character,  embracing  choral  selections.  Patriotic  sentiment  was  awakened 


The  National  Capitol 


by  Charles  B.  Hanford,  the  actor,  who  recited  with  feeling  and  art  "  The  Star 
Spangled  Banner."  A  tablet  was  placed  by  permission  of  Congress  above  the 
original  corner-stone  in  commemoration  of  the  centennial  exercises.  The  cost 
of  this  tablet  was  defrayed  by  the  ^^^  ^^^ 

committee.  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^g^^ 

On  Saturday  afternoon,  July 
n,  1896,  at  five  o'clock,  the 
notes  of  a  more  remarkable  cho- 
rus, numbering  nearly  four  thou- 
sand voices,  arose  from  the 
campus  heavenward.  It  was  the 
occasion  of  the  greatest  assem- 
bling of  the  Christian  Endeav- 
orers  during  their  visit  to  Wash- 
ington. The  central  steps  of  the 
Capitol  were  devoted  to  the  cho- 
rus, the  ladies  forming  a  sort  of 
parterre  in  the  center,  the  men 
ranged  on  either  side.  Before 
the  steps  was  erected  a  flag- 
draped  stand  for  the  officers  and 
leaders  of  the  United  Society, 
and  back  of  this,  but  still  within 
the  rope-enclosure,  the  Marine 
Band  on  a  raised  platform  con- 
tributed classic  strains  to  the 
fervent  ceremony.  The  throng  of 
people  was  among  the  largest  and 

most  peaceful  yet  gathered  before  Congress  House,  and  the  procession  at  the 
close  of  the  exercises  was  truly  unique  and  inspiring.  Down  Capitol  Hill 
and  along  Pennsylvania  Avenue  marched  the  thousands  of  enthusiastic  En- 
deavorers — men,  women  and  children — led  by  the  Marine  Band,  the  officers 
of  the  United  Society,  members  of  the  "  Committee  of  '96  "  and  the  wonder- 
ful chorus. 


EASTERN   APPROACH 


THE  parking  in  the  midst  of 
which  the  Capitol  stands  now 
consists  of  58^  acres.  In  the 
old  days,  there  was  a  fish  pond  in 
the  center  to  the  east,  adorned 
with  the  naval  monument,  which 
was  later  removed  to  the  west 
front.  There  were  then  so  many 
primeval  trees  that  it  seemed  like 
a  forest.  The  landscape  gardener, 
however,  preferring  his  idea  of 
beauty  to  Nature's,  cut  down  the 
grand  old  monarchs  to  make  room 
for  shrubbery  and  insignificant 
trees.  He  might  well  have  re- 
flected upon  Lafayette's  counsel, 
wise  in  peace  as  in  war:  "Re- 
member, my  dear,  how  much 
easier  it  is  to  cut  a  tree  down 
than  to  make  one  grow."  One 
beautiful  beech  was  preserved. 
It  is  said  that  Mr.  Sumner  inter- 
posed and  saved  it.  The  storms 
have  not  been  so  kind. 

The  grandeur  of  the  structure  itself  is  fortunately  in  no  way  dwarfed  by  the 
presence  of  surrounding  buildings.  The  eye  is  impressed  with  the  full  beauty  of 
its  masses  and  shadows,  which,  even  more  than  detail,  often  display  the  genius 
of  architectural  creation.  While  almost  purely  Greek  in  design,  it  has  an 
American  individuality  that  distinguishes  it  from  every  other  building  on  the 
globe.  American  history  and  spirit  cling  to  each  Roman  arch — to  each  Grecian 
column,  entablature  and  pediment.  From  the  eastern  approach  the  Capitol 
seems  fancifully  like  a  compact  in  marble  representing  the  unity  of  the  States. 
The  building  is  in  three  parts — the  north  wing,  the  south  wing  and  the  central 
structure  surmounted  by  the  dome — emblematic  to  patriotic  eyes  of  the  three 
divisions  of  the  federal  government,  the  legislative,  executive  and  judicial. 


The  National  Capitol  87 

The  Decorated  Pediments. — The  decoration  of  the  pediment  above 
the  central  steps  on  the  eastern  facade  bespeaks  attention.  The  semi -colossal 
figure  in  the  center  represents  the  "  Genius  of  America."  This  work  is  carved 
in  alto-riKevo  from  Virginia  sandstone,  and  is  chiefly  interesting  from  the 
fact  that  John  Quincy  Adams,  when  President,  furnished  the  design.  It 
was  finished  just  before  the  meeting  of  Congress  in  1828.  In  his  diary, 
Adams  makes  the  following  entry  for  June  3oth  of  that  year :  "  Overtaken  by 
a  storm  near  the  Capitol,  and  took  shelter  under  one  of  the  arches.  Found 
Mr.  Persico,  the  Italian  Sculptor,  there,  and  went  up  to  view  his  work  at  the 
pediment,  of  which  I  furnished  him  the  design.  He  is  now  upon  the  last  fig- 
ure, Hope ;  and  thus  far  his  execution  is  very  satisfactory.  His  eagle  had  been 
indifferent  in  the  drawing;  better,  but  not  good,  in  the  model.  In  the  work 
itself  it  is  the  pouncing  bird.  He  called  my  attention  to  the  anchor :  he  had, 
therefore,  gone  to  Commodore  Pingey  and  taken  for  his  model  a  true  anchor 
of  a  ship  of  war.  'And  so  now,'  said  he,  'whenever  a  sailor  looks  at  this 
pediment  he  will  say,  "  How  exact  the  anchor  is  !  "  '  He  said  he  would  paint 
the  scales  in  the  hand  of  Justice  white ;  they  must  be  painted  to  prevent  them 
taking  the  rain,  making  verdigris,  and  dropping  it  upon  the  stone  figures." 

An  extract  from  a  letter  written  June  22,  1825,  by  Bulfinch,  then  the  archi- 
tect of  the  Capitol,  will  be  interesting  to  the  student : 

"  Our  work  at  the  Capitol  proceeds  but  slowly,  owing  to  delay  of  contractors  in  deliver- 
ing the  large  blocks  for  columns.  We.have  received  only  4  this  season,  which  are  raised  into 
their  places,  and  must  have  7  more  before  the  much  talked  of  Pediment  can  be  com- 
menced. With  respect  to  the  ornament  proposed  to  decorate  this,  the  artists  in  general  feel 
very  much  disappointed  ;  about  30  persons  presented  36  designs,  some  well  and  others  badly 
executed,  but  none  answering  the  President's  idea  of  a  suitable  decoration  for  a  legislative 
building.  He  disclaimed  all  wish  to  exhibit  triumphal  cars  and  emblems  of  victory,  and 
all  allusions  to  heathen  mythology,  and  thought  that  the  duties  of  tHe  Nation  or  of  Legis- 
lators should  be  impressed  in  an  obvious  and  intelligible  manner.  After  several  attempts, 
the  following  has  been  agreed  upon  :  a  figure  of  America  occupies  the  centre,  her  right  arm 
resting  on  the  shield,  supported  by  an  alter -or- pedestal  bearing  the  i n script! on  July  4,  1776, 
her  left  hand  pointing  to  the  figure  of  Justice,  who,  with  unveiled  face,  is  viewing  the 
scales,  and  the  right  hand  presenting  an  open  scroll  inscribed  Constitution,  March  4,  1789; 
on  the  left  of  the  principal  figure  is  the  eagle,  and  a  figure  of  Hope  resting  on  her  anchor, 
with  face  and  right  hand  up-lifted, — the  whole  intended  to  convey  that  while  we  cultivate 
Justice  we  may  hope  for  success.  The  figures  are  bold,  of  9  feet  in  height,  and  gracefully 
drawn  by  Mr.  Persico,  an  Italian  artist.  It  is  intended  that  an  appropriate  inscription 
shall  explain  the  meaning  and  moral  to  dull  comprehensions." 

The  cost  of  this  work  to  the  government,  though  the  design  of  the  Presi- 
dent should  have  been,  and  undoubtedly  was,  gratuitous,  was  $15,000.  Soon 
after  its  completion,  a  part  of  the  arm  of  the  figure  of  Justice,  together  with 
the  Constitution,  fell  from  the  action  of  frost  to  the  steps  of  the  portico,  and 
was  shattered  into  fragments. 


88 


The  National  Capitol 


An  effective  piece  of  work,  designed  by  Crawford,  representing  the  prog- 
ress of  American  civilization  and  the  decadence  of  the  Indian  race,  adorns 
the  pediment  of  the  eastern  portico  of  the  Senate  wing.  In  the  center  stands 
America.  On  her  right  are  the  soldier,  merchant,  youths,  schoolmaster,  pupil 
and  mechanic,  with  the  anchor  and  wheat  sheaf  as  emblems  of  stability  and 
prosperity.  On  her  left,  the  march  of  Western  civilization  is  further  typified 
by  the  pioneer — whom  curiously  enough  the  sculptor  has  represented  as  chop- 
ping left-handed ;  and  by  the  hunter,  the  Indian  brave,  the  Indian  mother 
and  child,  and,  as  the  last  sad  chapter  in  the  story,  the  Indian  grave. 

The  pediment  was  completed  in  1862.  The  statues,  which  were  executed 
in  the  shops  of  the  extensions,  of  marble  from  Lee,  Massachusetts,  are  fastened 
with  heavy  copper  clamps.  The  figure  of  America  for  several  years  stood 
upon  a  pedestal  in  the  park;  the  companion  pieces  upon  a  platform  in 
Statuary  Hall.  Crawford  received  for  the  models,  and  for  those  of  Justice  and 
History  above  the  bronze  doors  of  the  Senate  wing,  $20,000.  Thomas  Gagliardi 
received  $5,500  for  chiseling  the  wheat  sheaf,  anchor,  group  of  instruction 
and  youths.  He  was  assisted  by  Casoni  in  cutting  the  figure  of  America  and 
the  Indian  family,  for  which  they  jointly  received  $7,000.  Another  Italian, 
G.  Casprero,  was  paid  $400  for  executing  the  Indian  grave.  The  figures  of 
the  soldier,  merchant,  woodman,  Indian  chief  and  hunter  all  were  cut  by 
G.  Butti,  for  which  he  was  paid  $12,350.  D.  Giampaoli  chiseled  for  $1,900 
the  figure  of  the  mechanic. 

It  was  intended  to  place  in  the  corresponding  tympanum  above  the  east 
portico  of  the  House  of  Representatives  a  similar  group,  indicative  of  Ameri- 
can life  and  history,  but  this  has  never  been  carried  out. 

Groups  and  Statues  on  the  Central  Portico. — The  two  marble 
groups  upon  the  blockings  over  the  porte-cochere  of  the  central  building  attract 


The  National  Capitol 


89 


considerable  attention  because  of  their  prominence.  The  one  to  the  north  is 
by  Greenough,  and  is  popularly  called  "The  Rescue."  It  was  designed  in 
1837  and  completed  in  1851.  The  story  is  that  of  a  frontiersman  saving  his 
wife  and  child  from  massacre  at  the  hands  of  an  Indian  brave.  On  the  cor- 
responding blocking  to  the  south  is  a  group  by  Persico  (1844),  known  as 
"  The  Discovery."  The  central  figure  is  that  of  Columbus,  triumphantly 
holding  aloft  in  his  hand  a  ball  representing  the  globe.  By  his  side  cowers 
an  Indian  girl,  awed  at  the  sight  of  the  white  man.  It  is  said  that  the  artist 
copied  the  armor  from  that  still  pre- 
served in  Genoa,  Italy — one  of  the 
many  authentic  suits  which  Columbus 
wore  when  he  discovered  America. 

These  groups  were  the  outcome  of 
a  joint  resolution  of  March  4,  1837, 
by  which  the  President  was  authorized 
to  contract  for  two  groups  of  statuary 
to  be  placed  upon  these  blockings. 
Eight  thousand  dollars  were  appropri- 
ated for  the  work;  but,  as  usual,  the 
final  cost  far  exceeded  the  intention, 
the  expense  to  the  government  being 
nearly  $56,000  in  all.  Persico  re- 
ceived the  first  order.  The  contract 
for  the  second  group  was  made  with 
Greenough  while  he  was  at  work  in 
Florence  upon  his  statue  of  Wash- 
ington, and  while  wonderful  reports  V 
of  its  excellence  were  being  brought  '•+.  T  ry " 
to  America  by  his  friends.  It  also 

was  urged  on  his  behalf  that  a  native  THE  RESCUE 

sculptor   should  have   a   commission  Greenough 

for  one  of  the  groups  in  order  that 

American  and  foreign  art  might  be  well  contrasted  at  the  Capitol.  It  is 
fortunate  that  no  country  need  rely  on  either  production  to  establish  its 
artistic  excellence. 

The  two  marble  figures  in  the  niches  at  the  back  of  this  portico,  to  the 
right  and  left  of  Rogers'  bronze  doors,  command  critical  admiration  for  grace 
and  dignity  of  pose,  strength  in  modeling,  and  appropriateness  of  design. 
These  statues  are  of  Mars  and  Ceres,  the  man  in  Roman  mail  with  shield 
and  sword — emblems  of  war ;  and  the  woman  bearing  the  fruitful  olive  branch 
— personification  of  peace.  They  were  authorized  by  the  appropriation 
bill  of  March  3,  1829,  which  contained  a  clause  "to  enable  the  President 


9o 


The  National  Capitol 


to  contract  with  Luigi  Persico  to  execute  two  statues  for  the  east  front  of  the 
Capitol."  The  conclusion  of  this  contract  with  the  Italian  sculptor  was  the 
last  official  act  of  John  Quincy  Adams  as  President  of  the  United  States. 

Each  statue  cost  the  government  $  12,000.  They  must  have  been  placed 
in  their  present  positions  since  1835,  as  not  till  then  was  an  appropriation 
made  by  Congress  for  the  niches  in  which  they  stand. 

On  the  wall  of  the  central 
portico  above  the  bronze  doors 
is  a  work  by  Capellano  (1827). 
It  represents  the  head  and  shoul- 
ders of  Washington,  with  two 
angelic  figures  in  the  act  of 
crowning  his  brow  with  tri- 
umphal wreaths. 

Rogers'  Bronze  Doors. 
— The  beautiful  bronze  doors  at 
the  eastern  entrance  to  the  ro- 
tunda are  popularly  called  "  The 
Columbus  Doors"  because  they 
represent  scenes  in  the  life  of 
that  great  admiral.  They  were 
designed  and  modeled  in  Rome 
in  1858  by  Randolph  Rogers,  a 
young  American  of  whom  his 
countrymen  should  feel  proud, 
and  cast  by  F.  von  Miller,  a 
German,  in  Munich  in  1860. 

THE  DISCOVERY  The  two  leaves>  each  composed 

Persico  of    four    panels — with   transom, 

frame    and    trimmings    also    in 

oronze — were  cast  in  sections.  The  doors  were  first  placed  in  the  arch  lead- 
ing from  Statuary  Hall  to  the  south  extension,  in  November,  1863.  They 
were  soon  removed,  however,  to  their  present  position. 

The  lowest  panel  upon  the  left  represents  Columbus  before  the  Council  of 
Salamanca,  where  he  was  denied  assistance  and  his  theories  ridiculed  by  the 
wise  men  of  the  court.  Discouraged,  he  sought  the  Convent,  of  La  Rabida, 
at  the  hands  of  whose  worthy  prior,  Juan  Perez,  he  had  before  found  sympathy 
and  aid.  The  next  panel  represents  the  navigator  setting  forth  for  the  court 
of  Spain,  where,  finally,  through  a  letter  to  the  queen  from  Perez,  her  one- 
time confessor,  the  interview  with  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  set  forth  in  the 
third  panel  was  secured.  The  upper  panel  shows  the  departure  of  Columbus 
from  Palos  on  his  first  voyage  of  discovery,  Friday,  August  3,  1492. 


ROGERS'   BRONZE   DOORS 


The  National  Capitol  93 

The  large  transom  surmounting  the  doors  represents  the  landing  of  the 
Spaniards  in  the  New  World,  Friday,  October  i2th,  upon  the  island  of 
Guanahani,  of  which  Columbus  took  possession  in  the  name  of  Ferdinand  and 
Isabella,  and  which  he  christened  San  Salvador  in  honor  of  the  Savior. 

The  upper  panel  upon  the  right  portrays  the  re-embarkation  of  Columbus 
for  home,  taking  with  him  several  natives  as  a  proof  of  his  discovery.  The 
one  next  below  shows  the  triumphal  entry  of  the  great  navigator,  upon  his 
return  to  Spain,  into  Barcelona,  where  the  sovereigns  and  the  court  were  eager 
to  welcome  the  successful  explorer  most  royally.  Then  follows  the  recall 
and  arrest  of  Columbus,  the  humiliating  termination  of  his  third  voyage  of 
discovery,  upon  groundless  charges  preferred  by  Bobadilla,  a  degradation 
which  was  in  some  part  lightened  by  the  fact  that  the  chains  were  ordered 
from  his  wrists  through  the  intercession  of  his  friend,  Queen  Isabella.  The 
lowest  panel  to  the  right  tells  the  sad  story  of  the  death  of  the  aged  dis- 
coverer, then  in  his  seventy-third  year,  at  Valladolid,  in  1506. 

The  sixteen  small  statuettes  in  the  niches  on  the  right  and  left  of  the 
panels  represent  friends  of  Columbus,  and  explorers,  conquerors  and  sover- 
eigns connected  with  the  discovery  and  settlement  of  the  New  World.  They 
are  Alexander  VI.  of  Rome,  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  of  Spain,  Charles  VIII. 
of  France,  John  II.  of  Portugal,  Henry  VII.  of  England,  Mendoza,  Lady  B. 
d'Bobadilla,  Perez,  Pinzon,  captain  of  the  Pinta,  Bartholomew  Columbus, 
Ojeda,  Vespucci,  Cortez,  Balboa  and  Pizarro.  Above  and  below  the  panels 
are  the  heads  of  Irving,  Prescott  and  other  historians.  The  four  figures  at  the 
corners  of  the  frame  are  emblematic  of  the  four  continents — Asia  and  Europe 
on  the  left,  Africa  and  America  on  the  right.  The  head  of  Columbus,  deli- 
cately worked,  crowns  the  arch  of  the  door. 

The  sculptor  evidently  drew  his  inspiration  for  these  doors  from  the  bronze 
doors  of  Ghiberti  at  the  gates  of  the  Baptistery  in  Florence,  which  they  resem- 
ble in  all  but  theme  ;  and  though  the  world-renowned  Italian  gates  are  gen- 
erally conceded  to  be  the  best  example  of  their  class  of  art,  the  Columbus 
doors  compare  favorably  with  them,  and  command  universal  admiration,  not 
only  for  the  conception  and  arrangement  of  the  story  told,  but  for  fineness  of 
detail,  good  modeling  and  a  general  effect  of  strength  and  beauty  combined. 
The  doors  are  1 8  feet  in  height  and  9  feet  in  width;  and  weigh  20,000 
pounds.  They  have  cost  the  government  $28,500,  of  which  Rogers  received 
$8,000  for  the  model,  and  Von  Miller  $17,000. 


THE  walls  of  the  rotunda,  or  interior  of  the  dome,  are  divided  into  twelve 
panels  by  lofty  classic  pilasters  or  Grecian  antse.  Isthmian  wreaths  ornament 
the  entablature  thus  supported.  The  upper  section  of  the  interior,  which  is 
rendered  effective  in  finish  by  innumerable  caissons  or  sunken  panels,  is 
crowned  by  a  bowl -shaped  roof  or  canopy.  Beneath  this  frescoed  ceiling 
runs  a  circular  landing,  from  which,  as  well  as  from  the  winding  stairs  where 
they  pass  in  the  ascension  the  belt  of  windows  which  circle  the  dome  above 
the  frieze  and  give  it  light,  it  is  possible  to  look  down  upon  the  rotunda. 
Across  the  space,  though  measuring  65  feet,  whispers  can  be  distinctly  heard — 
the  voice  seeming  to  come  from  above  and  behind  the  listener. 

The  decorations  of  the  rotunda  are  a  fair  example  of  the  art  of  the  Capi- 
tol. While  much  of  this  is  individually  fine,  it  everywhere  presents  a  patch- 
work appearance,  the  more  meritorious  pictures  in  many  instances  suffering 
severely  by  association  with  the  merest  daubs.  There  is  a  want  of  that 
harmony  necessary  to  produce  an  artistic  effect  commensurate  with  such  an 
imposing  interior.  This  is  due,  in  part,  to  material  changes  in  the  styles  of 
decoration  during  the  growth  of  the  building,  and,  in  part,  to. the  fact  that 
some  of  the  artists  have  been  selected  as  well  as  hampered  by  "  a  little  brief 
authority  "  or  by  Congressional  legislation. 

Let  but  some  method  other  than  favoritism  and  political  influence  be 
devised  for  the  selection  of  art  and  artists,  and  the  walls  of  the  National 
Capitol  will  become,  as  they  long  ago  should  have  been,  a  marvel  of  beauty 
throughout.  One  attempt  has  been  made  in  this  direction.  It  was  during 
the  erection  of  the  marble  wings  which  brought  a  wild  desire  for  decoration, 
stimulated,  no  doubt,  by  diplomatic  efforts  of  certain  foreign  artists  at  Wash- 
ington. They  secured  most  of  the  contracts  ;  and  the  feelings  of  their  Ameri- 
can brethren,  especially  of  the  more  incompetent  ones,  naturally  were  bitter. 
This  led  to  a  memorial  to  Congress  and  to  the  provision  in  the  acts  of  June 
12,  1858,  and  March  3,  1859,  that  none  of  the  money  thereby  appropriated  for 
the  extensions  should  be  expended  in  decoration  or  embellishment  by  sculp- 
ture or  painting  unless  such  works  of  art  had  been  examined  and  accepted 
by  distinguished  artists,  three  in  number,  to  be  selected  by  the  President. 

This  commission  sat  in  Washington.  The  spirit  of  its  members,  however, 
seemed  to  defeat  its  object.  It  devoted  itself  rather  to  the  detraction  of 
existing  art  and  of  the  artists  then  at  work  than  to  the  consideration  of  proper 


The  National  Capitol  95 

means  for  the  attainment  of  harmonious  and  good  results  in  the  future.  Its 
criticism  of  the  imported  masters,  however,  was  not  without  some  degree  of 
justice,  as  is  evinced  by  much  of  their  work  itself.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
American  artists  of  attainment  are  better  able  to  portray  on  canvas  and  in 
marble  the  history,  spirit  and  individuality  of  their  own  country  than  any  of 
foreign  birth.  In  this  vein,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  sons  of  the  emi- 
nent American  artist,  Benjamin  West,  whose  genius  first  commanded  respect 
in  Europe  for  his  country's  art,  in  1826*  offered  to  Congress  in  vain  one 
hundred  and  fifty  of  their  father's  paintings,  though  the  worst  abortions  have 
again  and  again  received  from  it  the  highest  compensation. 

There  is  truth  as  well  as  humor  in  Mark  Twain's  reflections  :  "  So  you 
observe,  that  you  take  your  view  from  the  back  of  the  capitol.  And  yet  not 
from  the  airy  outlooks  of  the  dome,  by  the  way,  because  to  get  there  you 
must  pass  through  the  great  rotunda :  and  to  do  that,  you  would  have  to  see 
the  marvelous  Historical  Paintings  that  hang  there,  and  the  bas-reliefs — and 
what  have  you  done  that  you  should  suffer  thus  ?  And  besides,  you  might 
have  to  pass  through  the  old  part  of  the  building,  and  you  could  not  help 
seeing  Mr.  Lincoln,  as  petrified  by  a  young  lady  artist  for  $10,000 — and  you 
might  take  his  marble  emancipation  proclamation  which  he  holds  out  in  his 
hand  and  contemplates,  for  a  folded  napkin ;  and  you  might  conceive  from 
his  expression  and  his  attitude,  that  he  is  finding  fault  with  the  washing. 
Which  is  not  the  case.  Nobody  knows  what  is  the  matter  with  him;  but 
everybody  feels  for  him.  Well,  you  ought  not  to  go  into  the  dome  anyhow, 
because  it  would  be  utterly  impossible  to  go  up  there  without  seeing  the  fres- 
coes in  it — and  why  should  you  be  interested  in  the  delirium  tremens  of  art  ?  " 

Bruiiiidi. — The  story  of  the  Capitol  cannot  be  written  without  the  name 
Constantino  Brumidi.f  About  his  life  romance  clings.  Even  in  childhood 
the  gods  favored  his  hand  with  fine  artistic  cunning.  His  father  was  a  Greek, 
his  mother  an  Italian.  He  learned  the  art  of  fresco,  which  is  now  in  its 
higher  development  almost  a  forgotten  art,  in  Rome,  where  he  was  a  student 
of  painting  and  architecture  at  the  Accademia  di  San  Luca.  His  work  in 
sculpture  under  the  direction  of  Canova  attracted  the  attention  of  Thorwaldsen. 

Brumidi  was  a  captain  of  the  Papal  Guards  during  the  revolutionary  times 
in  Rome  just  before  Rossi  was  assassinated,  Pius  IX. — an  exile — deprived  of 
his  temporal  power,  and  Garibaldi  and  the  people  triumphant.  Refusing  to 
execute  commands  to  turn  the  guns  of  his  company  upon  the  oppressed, 
Brumidi 's  house  was  surrounded  by  soldiers  in  the  dead  of  night,  and  he  him- 
self arbitrarily  arrested  and  thrown  into  prison,  where  he  lay  for  thirteen 

*  See  Appendix,  p.  259. 

f  For  facts  concerning  Brumidi's  career,  the  author  is  indebted  to  his  son,  Mr.  L.  S. 
Brumidi,  himself  an  artist. 


96  The   National  Capitol 

months.  He  was  released  at  the  intervention  of  the  Pope,  whose  friendship 
he  had  won  by  the  clever  execution  of  two  paintings  of  his  eminence,  upon 
condition  that  he  immediately  leave  Italy.  Brumidi  first -landed  in  New 
York,  but  finding  that  city  less  desirous  of  art  than  it  is  to-day,  departed 
for  Mexico  in  the  hope  of  richer  patronage.  He  returned  after  three  years, 
and  came  to  Washington,  which  he  had  previously  visited,  to  enter  upon  his 
life-work  at  the  Capitol. 

Fresco. — The  art  of  fresco,  which  has  long  flourished  in  Italy,  was  known 
and  practiced  by  the  Egyptians,  Greeks  and  Romans.  The  Germans,  French 
and  northern  nations  had  no  knowledge  of  the  art.  The  French,  in  their 
mural  decorations,  paint  in  oils  directly  upon  the  wall,  or  in  their  studios  at 
leisure  upon  canvas,  which  they  afterwards  press  upon  the  wall,  coated  with, 
white  lead,  until  the  picture  sets  and  becomes  firm.  This  was  the  process 
used  in  most  instances  in  the  decoration  of  the  new  building  for  the  Congres- 
sional Library.  Fresco  is  the  Italian  word  im  fresh;  the  process  is  so  called 
because  the  plaster  is  wet  or  fresh  when  the  colors  are  applied.  The  wall  or 
ceiling,  before  the  decoration,  resembles  the  first  coat  of  plaster  ordinarily 
given  to  a  room.  The  colors  are  liquefied  with  water,  and  so  naturally  sink 
into  the  prepared  background  and  become  a  part  of  it.  As  the  wet  plaster  is 
much  darker  than  the  dry,  it  is  very  difficult  so  to  apply  the  colors,  which 
change  materially  in  drying,  that  the  tone  is  preserved  harmonious  through- 
out. It  requires  long  experience  and  artistic  judgment.  Then,  too,  the 
pallet  is  meager.  Mineral  or  earth  colors  only  can  be  used,  as  the  lime  in 
the  plaster,  which  is  used  for  white,  eats  and  destroys  all  other  paints.  No- 
lakes,  no  vermilions,  no  carmines,  as  in  oils,  are  at  the  artist's  hand ;  he  must 
produce  his  flesh  tints  by  clever  combinations  with  light  and  Indian  reds. 
Brumidi 's  flesh  tints  are  therefore  worthy  of  study. 

The  Canopy. — The  canopy  which  forms  the  ceiling  of  the  rotunda  was 
finished  by  Brumidi  in  1865.  This  conception  of  the  artist,  because  of  its 
great  height  from  the  observer,  was  drawn  in  heroic  proportions.  It  represents 
the  beatification  of  the  spirit  of  George  Washington,  who  is  seated  in  the 
center.  On  his  right  sits  Freedom  and  on  his  left  Victory  ;  while  grouped  about 
are  thirteen  female  figures  emblematic  of  the  thirteen  original  States.  On  the 
banneret  stretching  across  the  picture  are  the  words  "  E  Pluribus  Unum." 

Around  the  base  of  the  canopy  are  groups  suggestive  of  the  spirit  of  revo- 
lution and  its  resulting  progress,  as  beheld  in  the  history  of  the  young  Repub- 
lic :  armed  Liberty  with  shield  and  sword  conquering  Royalty,  the  armored 
soldier  in  vain  endeavoring  to  uphold  the  ermine  at  which  the  eagle  with  out- 
stretched wings  strikes  with  beak  and  claws ;  Minerva,  the  Goddess  of  Arts 
and  Sciences ;  Ceres,  of  the  Harvest ;  Mercury,  the  Messenger  of  the  Gods, 
representing  Eloquence  and  Commerce ;  Vulcan,  the  God  of  Mechanics ;  and 
Neptune,  with  his  trident,  the  God  of  the  Marine. 


The  National  Capitol 


97 


Just  before  his  death,  Brumicli  was  criticised,  especially  in  the  papers  of 
the  South,  for  an  alleged  caricature  of  the  leaders  of  the  Confederacy. 
Though  the  artist  always  denied  the  accusation,  it  is  interesting  to  observe 
the  resemblance  of  the  figures  to  the  right  of  armed  Liberty  to  Jefferson  J)avis 
and  Alexander  H.  Stephens,  the  President  and  Vice-President  of  the  Confed- 
eracy, and  of  the  two  figures  to  the  left  to  General  Robert  E.  Lee  and  John 
B.  Floyd,  the  Secretary  of  War  under  Buchanan.  The  scene  itself  is  certainly 


THE   CANOPY 


suggestive  of  the  stamping  out  of  the  Rebellion  :  a  thunder-bolt,  representing 
the  wrath  of  the  Gods,  is  being  hurled  from  on  high  at  Stephens ;  while  the 
President  of  the  Confederacy,  with  a  lighted  torch,  is  fleeing  from  the  wrath 
of  the  colossal  figure  of  armed  Liberty  above.  But  it  is  not  possible  that 
Brumidi  intended  these  as  portraits ;  for  he  was  the  friend  of  most  of  the 
Confederate  leaders,  and  probably  the  last  to  see  Jefferson  Davis  before  he 
left  the  capital  for  the  South.  When  the  artist  first  came  to  Washington  to 
reside,  the  government  was  in  the  hands  of  the  men  who  afterwards  led  in  the 
7 


9^  The  National  Capitol     . 

Confederacy.  He  became  intimate  with  them,  and  found  them  more  conge- 
nial than  many  of  Northern  birth;  for  their  temperaments  were  warm  and 
Italian  like  his  own.  Nor,  on  the  other  hand,  can  he  be  justly  accused  of  dis- 
loyalty to  the  Union ;  for  he  left  Italy  because  of  his  republicanism,  as  his 
father  before  him  fled  from  Greece  for  the  like  good  cause,  and  it  is  not  pos- 
sible that  a  spirit  so  imbued  would  uphold  slavery  in  its  adopted  country. 

In  the  group  of  Arts  and  Sciences  are  clearly  portrayed  by  the  artist's 
intention  the  features  of  Franklin,  Fulton  and  Morse,  that  trio  who,  more 
than  any  other,  has  annihilated  space  and  conquered  time.  The  face  of  Vul- 
can in  the  group  representing  Mechanics  is  thought  by  many  strongly  to  sug- 
gest T.  U.  Walter,  the  architect  of  the  marble  extensions  and  the  new  dome, 
though  he  strenuously  objected  to  the  commemoration  of  his  features  by  his 
artist-friend  on  the  ceiling  of  the  rotunda.  Two  figures  in  the  group  of  Com- 
merce are  thought  to  be  those  of  Robert  Morris,  the  great  financier  of  the 
Revolution,  who  spent  his  last  days  in  a  debtor's  cell,  and  of  Alexander 
Hamilton,  the  organizer  of  the  Treasury  Department  of  the  United  States. 
The  statement  that  the  fair  faces  of  the  maidens  depicted  in  this  fresco  are 
likenesses  of  the  sweethearts  of  the  artist  at  various  periods  of  his  romantic 
career,  cannot  be  authenticated,  and  probably  the  suggestion  has  arisen  from 
the  fact  that  Brumidi  used  many  attractive  models  in  drawing  his  designs. 

The  groundwork  upon  which  this  fresco  is  executed  is  of  copper  covered 
with  plaster.  The  canopy  is  like  a  huge  bowl  in  appearance,  65  feet  in  diam- 
eter, with  a  concavity  of  nearly  21  feet;  and  the  distance  from  its  center  to 
the  center  of  the  floor  of  the  rotunda  is  180  feet  3  inches.  The  artist's  con- 
tract price  was  $39,500.  It  is  almost  the  only  piece  of  work  which  Brumidi 
performed  in  the  Capitol  for  which  he  received  other  than  a  per  diem  com- 
pensation of  ten  dollars. 

The  Frieze. — About  75  feet  from  the  floor,  the  walls  of  the  rotunda  are 
belted  by  a  frieze,  which,  at  the  first  glance,  gives  the  impression  of  alto- 
rilievo.  It  is,  however,  a  fresco,  the  work  of  two  foreign-born  artists,  Bru- 
midi and  Costaggini,  and  represents  scenes  in  the  history  of  the  New  World 
from  the  time  of  its  discovery.  » 

Following  the  landing  of  Columbus  in  1492,  are  :  the  entry  of  Cortez  into 
the  Halls  of  the  Montezumas  in  1521  ;  Pizarro's  conquest  of  Peru  in  1533; 
the  midnight  burial  of  De  Soto  in  the  Mississippi  in  1541  ;  Pocahontas  saving 
the  life  of  Captain  John  Smith  in  1606;  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  at 
Plymouth,  Massachusetts,  in  1620;  and  Penn's  treaty  of  peace  with  the 
Indians  in  1682. 

Brumidi  was  taken  ill  in  1880,  shortly  after  finishing  the  figure  of  William 
Penn,  and  died  February  4th,  quite  advanced  in  years,  presumably  from  the 
effect  of  the  shock  produced  by  a  partial  fall  from  the  scaffolding  upon  which 
he  worked.  The  watchman  just  below  the  canopy,  who  was  accustomed  to 


The  National  Capitol  99 

follow  with  his  eyes  the  progress  of  the  artist,  saw  him  fall,  and  running  down 
the  long  flights  of  steps,  succeeded  in  rescuing  the  old  gentleman  as  he  clung 
nearly  exhausted  to  the  ladder,  or  he  would  have  fallen  and  been  dashed  to 
pieces  on  the  floor  beneath.  The  chair  upon  which  he  sat  in  order  to  paint 
had  been  pushed  backward  on  the  small  platform,  and  as  his  assistant  was 
absent,  there  was  no  one  on  the  scaffolding  to  rescue  him. 

Upon  Brumidi's  death,  Filippo  Costaggini  was  engaged  to  complete  the 
frieze.  The  late  artist's  designs  were  promptly  appropriated  without  remuner- 
ation to  his  family  for  the  thought  and  labor  which  they  contained.  The  first 
figure  which  Costaggini  painted  is  easily  distinguished  as  the  one  to  the  right 
of  William  Penn.  The  first  entire  group  executed  by  the  newly  engaged  artist 
represents  a  scene  in  Plymouth  Colony,  in  December,  1620,  thus  described  by 
Governor  Bradford  in  the  "  Log"  of  the  Mayflower:  "  And  afterwards  took 
better  view  of  the  place,  and  resolved  where  to  pitch  their  dwelling;  and  the 
25th  day  began  to  erect  the  first  house,  for  common  use,  to  receive  them  and 
their  goods." 

Following  this  in  order  are  :  the  treaty  of  peace  between  Governor  Ogle- 
thorpe  of  Georgia  and  the  Indians  in  1732 ;  the  battle  of  Lexington  in  1775  ; 
the  reading  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  in  1776,  which,  as  John 
Adams  writes  on  July  pth,  "  was  yesterday  published  and  proclaimed  from 
that  awful  stage  in  the  State-house  yard ;  by  whom  do  you  think?  By  the 
Committee  of  Safety,  the  Committee  of  Inspection,  and  a  great  crowd  of 
people"  ;  the  surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis  at  Yorktown  in  1781 ;  the  death 
of  Tecumseh,  who  is  said  to  have  been  killed  by  Colonel  Richard  Johnson, 
at  the  battle  of  the  Thames  in  1813,  the  only  Vice-President  elected  by  the 
Senate  instead  of  by  the  electoral  college  ;  General  Scott's  entry  into  the  city 
of  Mexico  in  1847  ;  and  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California  in  1848. 

Since  May,  1889,  work  upon  the  frieze  has  been  suspended,  principally 
because  no  subjects  have  been  determined  upon  for  the  final  groups.  All  of 
Brumidi's  designs  have  been  executed.  It  was  his  intention  to  have  but  one 
more  picture  in  the  belt.  Costaggini,  however,  in  placing  the  designs  of  his 
predecessor  in  the  frieze,  has  crowded  them  to  make  room  for  two  sketches — 
by  himself.  He  proposes  the  junction  in  May,  1869,  of  the  Union  and 
Central  Pacific  Railroads  at  Promontory  Point.  Utah,  with  Leland  Stanford 
driving  the  golden  spike  which  bound  the  iron  girders  connecting  the  Atlantic 
and  Pacific  Oceans;  and  the  opening  of  the  World's  Fair,  with  President 
Cleveland  touching  the  button  which  set  its  wheels  in  motion. 

Whether  it  is  that  Congress  has  had  too  much  annoyance  over  the  Pacific 
roads  to  place  a  constant  reminder  upon  the  walls  of  the  rotunda,  we  know 
not ;  but  when  on  June  i,  1896,  Mr.  Hansbrough  reported  to  the  Senate  a  joint 
resolution,  without  amendment,  "  For  completing  the  painting  of  the  frieze  in 
the  Rotunda  of  the  United  States  Capitol  by  Filippo  Costaggini,  after  designs 


ioo  The  National  Capitol 

to  be  furnished  by  him  and  approved  by  the  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library, 
six  thousand  dollars,  or  so  much  thereof  as  may  be  necessary,"  Mr.  Hawley 
said  :  "  I  am  not  quite  satisfied  with  the  manner  in  which  the  frieze  is  being 
finished  or  conducted.  I  make  no  especial  criticism  upon  the  President  of 
the  United  States  for  various  reasons,  and  he  might  find  his  place  upon  it,  but 
I  am  not  quite  satisfied  with  an  attempt  to  approve  a  history  of  the  United 
States,  which  the  frieze  is  supposed  to  suggest,  that  omits  George  Washington 
and  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  presents .  Mr.  Cleveland,  when  we  consider  the 
respective  positions  of  Mr.  Lincoln  and  Mr.  Cleveland  during  the  great  war 
of  the  rebellion."  In  replying  to  the  Connecticut  Senator  and  in  support  of 
his  report,  Mr.  Hansbrough  said  :  "  I  have  here  two  sketches  which  it  is  pro- 
posed to  use  in  completing  the  fresco  work.  The  one  that  the  Senator  from 
Connecticut  objects  to,  or  believes  he  objects  to,  represents  President  Cleve- 
land pressing  the  electric  button  which  notified  the  world  that  the  World's  Fair 
was  open.  It  also  represents  in  the  background  the  Duke  of  Veragua  and  his 
family,  the  remnants  of  the  Columbus  family,  and  all  there  is  left  of  it.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  the  first  painting  in  the  frieze  of  the  Dome  is  a  fresco 
representing  Columbus  landing  in  America.  The  last  one  will  be  a  fresco 
representing  the  opening  of  the  World's  Fair,  attended  by  the  only  living 
descendants  of  the  Columbus  family.  The  Committee  think  it  a  very  appro- 
priate sketch." 

To  this  Mr.  Hawley  replied :  "  I  wonder  how  a  man  giving  the  history  of 
the  United  States  could  entirely  skip  the  great  war  of  the  Union.  If  you  ask 
how  I  would  put  it  upon  the  frieze,  if  I  did  nothing  else  I  would  represent  the 
apple  tree  at  Appomattox  and  Grant  and  Lee  shaking  hands,  with  surrounding 
touches  and  intimations  of  troops  and  various  designs.  I  do  not  object  to 
the  Senator's  idea  of  giving  a  hint  of  the  great  exhibition  at  Chicago,  but  I 
object  to  the  utter  absence  of  the  greatest  historical  event  since  the  War  of  the 
Revolution — one  of  the  greatest  in  all  history."  The  resolution  passed  the 
Senate. 

Representative  Boutelle,on  the  6th  of  the  same  month,  introduced  into  the 
House  a  joint  resolution  which  called  for  some  suitable  design  which  should 
"  symbolize  the  great  events  in  the  national  life  since  the  close  of  the  Mexi- 
can war,  and  appropriately  commemorate  the  preservation  of  the  Union  and 
the  establishment  of  universal  freedom  by  heroic  valor  and  sacrifice  of  the 
citizens  of  the  Republic  under  the  leadership  of  Abraham  Lincoln."  This 
is  as  far  as  the  matter  has  gone.  The  Brumidi  scaffolding  still  hangs,  as  it 
has  hung  for  years,  like  a  huge,  ungainly  spider,  to  the  walls  of  the  rotunda. 

In  order  to  appreciate  the  merits  of  Brumidi 's  figures,  we  have  but  to 
compare  his  work  in  the  frieze-belt  with  that  of  the  artist  employed  to  com- 
plete it,  bearing  in  mind  the  words  placed  in  the  mouth  of  Michael  Angelo 
by  the  poet  Longfellow : 


The  National  Capitol  101 

"  I  have  often  said 

That  I  account  that  painting  as  the  best 
Which  most  resembles  sculpture.     Here  before  us 
We  have  the  proof.     Behold  these  rounded  limbs  ! 
How  from  the  canvas  they  detach  themselves, 
Till  they  deceive  the  eye,  and  one  would  say, 
It  is  a  statue  with  a  screen  behind  it !  " 

The  first  show  a  delightful  warmth  and  gradation  of  tone.  The  background 
is  darker,  and  sets  out  the  figures  in  bolder  relief.  This  Brumidi  intended  to 
make  harmonious  throughout  upon  the  completion  of  the  belt.  The  figures  of 
Costaggini  are  cold  and  hard,  and  in  some  instances  produce  the  grotesque 
effect  of  having  been  flattened  out  of  drawing. 


The  superiority  of  the  elder  artist  is  more  noticeable  in  the  first  three 
groups.  Toward  the  close  of  his  life,  his  physical  powers  were  inadequate. to 
the  difficulties  of  painting  in  such  a  necessarily  constrained  position,  unas- 
sisted by  sufficient  moving  of  the  scaffolding.  Brumidi's  art,  however,  here 
as  elsewhere,  is  not  always. of  the  best.  His  painting  is  very  uneven;  much 
cf  it  extremely  fine,  some  of  it  execrable.  No  higher  compliment,  however, 
could  be  paid  to  his  genius  than  the  expression , of  a  group  of  artists,  who 
were  decorating  the  new  building  for  the  Congressional  Li  bran',  overheard 
when  they  visited  the  Capitol  to  study  the  frescoes  of  the  Italian  :  "  We  have 
nothing  equal  to  this  in  the  Library.  There  is  no  one  who  can  do  such  work 
to-day." 

Tin-  TriimiMiii  Paintings. — The  four  historical  paintings  which  adorn 
tne  larger  panels  on  the  western  walls  of  the  rotunda  are  the  work  of  John 
Trumbull,  a  son  of  Jonathan  Trumbull,  Revolutionary  Governor  of  Connecti- 
cut. They  represent  vital  scenes  connected  with  the  War  for  Independence, 


IO2 


The  National  Capitol 


©IF  . 

In  Congress,  at. the  Independence  Hall,  Philadelphia,,  July  4*  177& 


1.  CEO.  WHVTE     Va. 

2.  WM.  WHlPPLE     N.K. 

3.  JQSIAH  BARTLETT    N.H 
•4.   BENJ  HARRISON    Va. 
5    THOMAS  LYNCH    S.C. 
C.  RICHARD  HENRY  LEE  Va, 

7.  SAM    ADAMS    Mass. 

8.  CEO  CLINTON    N.Y. 
».  WILLIAM    PACA    Md. 


10.  SAMUEL  CHASE   Md.  19.  BENJAMIN  RUSH  pa.    28.  JAMES  WILSON  Pa,      ST'OHN  WITHERSPOON  NJL 

11.  LEWIS    MORRIS    NY.  20.  ELBRIDGE   GERRY  Mass.   29  FRANCIS  HOPKINSON  TU   MSAM.  HLINTINGTON  .Con. 

12.  WILLIAM  FLOYD    NY.  a.  ROB.  TREAT   PACNE  Ma».3Q  JOHN.  ADAMS    Mass.         39.  WILLIAH  WILLIAMS   ,-Con.' 

13.  ARTHUR  MIDDLFTON    S.C.  22.  ABRAM    CLARK     N.J.  31.  ROCXR  SHERMAN    Coo.      40.  OLIVER    WQLCOTT  Cttn. 

14.  THOMAS  HAYWARD   S.  C.  23.  STEPH    HOPKINS   JU.      32.  ROB.  L.UVINGSTON    NX  41.  JOHN   HANCOCK     MAM. 

15.  CHAS.  CARROLL    Md»  24.  WILLIAM   ELLERY   R.I.        33.  THOMAS  JEFFERSON  Va.   42. CHAS  THOMPSON   Pa, 

16.  GEO.  WALTON    Ca.  25  CEO.    CLYMER     Pn.         -34.BET4J.  f  RANKUN    Pa.       43.CEORCE    READ    DeL 

17.  ROB.  MORRIS    Pa.  26. WILLIAM  HOOPER    N.C       35.RICHARD  STOCKTON.NJ.4OOHN  DICKINSON  Fa, 

18.  THOM.  WILLING   FtJ  71.  JOSEPH    HEWES    N.C.       36  FRANCIS    LEWIS  N.Y       4j.EDW.  RUTLEOGE    -S.C. 

46     THOMAS    M'KEAN     Pa.  47.     PHILIP    LIVINGSTON    N.Y. 


in  which  the  artist  himself  participated.  Trumbull  rose  to  the  position  of 
aide-de-camp  to  General  Washington  by  reason  of  his  skilful  execution  of 
drawings  showing  the  enemy's  works,  and,  later,  was  assigned  to  the  command 
of  Gates  as  acting  Adjutant-General,  with  the  rank  of  colonel.  In  the  peaceful 
arts,  he  was  the  pupil  of  Benjamin  West,  whose  influence  in  style  is  here 
seen. 

Taking  offense  at  the  action  of  Congress  regarding  the  date  of  his  com- 
mission, the  young  soldier  resigned  from  the  army  in  1777  and  sailed  for 
Europe  to  prosecute  his  more  congenial  studies.  While  in  London,  at  the 
time  of  the  Major  Andre"  affair,  he  was  unfortunately  arrested  as  an^American 
spy,  and  imprisoned  for  seven  months;  but,  principally  through  the  inter- 
position of  West,  who  was  the  painter  in  ordinary,  the  King,  George  III., 
promised  that,  in  any  event,  the  artist's  head  should  be  spared,  and,  finally, 
through  the  efforts  of  Fox,  Burke  and  others,  ordered  his  release  upon  con- 
dition that  he  leave  England  in  thirty  days.  The  terms  were  gladly  acceded 
to;  West  and  Copley  became  his  sureties;  and  Trumbull  shortly  again  took 
up  his  residence  in  his  native  land,  where  he  devoted  himself  assiduously  to 
the  painting  of  life  portraits — among  which  were  several  of  Washington — for 
proposed  historical  pictures.  Upon  the  restoration  of  peace,  Trumbull  made 


The  National  Capitol  105 

other  trips  to  Europe,  of  which  he  took  advantage  to  further  prosecute  his 
studies  and  extend  his  collection. 

In  1817,  after  spending  nearly  two  years  in  trying  to  awaken  the  sympathies 
of  his  government  in  behalf  of  American  art,  Trumbull  secured  from  Congress 
a  resolution,  approved  February  6th,  authorizing  the  President  to  employ  him 
to  execute  four  paintings  commemorative  of  the  most  important  events  of  the 
American  Revolution,  to  be  placed,  when  finished,  in  the  Capitol.  This  was 
effected  through  the  influence  of  the  artist's  many  friends  and  the  interest 
awakened  by  the  studies  which  he  exhibited  for  some  time  in  the  Hall  of 
Representatives.  A  spirited  debate,  which  is  reported  as  having  been  "  inter- 
esting, amusing  and  instructive,"  occurred  at  the  third  reading  upon  the  ques- 
tion of  the  passage  of  the  resolution.  It  was  advocated  by  Calhoun,  John 
Randolph  of  Roanoke,  Grosvenor,  Harrison  and  others,  and  passed  in  spite 
of  the  opposition  of  Ross,  Forsyth,  Hardin  and  Robertson,  who,  while  they 
generally  recognized  the  talents  of  the  artist,  urged  economy,  and  were  narrowly 
adverse  to  the  government  becoming  a  patron  of  the  fine  arts. 

As  the  choice  of  subjects  was  left  to  the  Executive,  the  artist  immediately 
waited  upon  President  Madison.  Trumbull  proposed  making  the  pictures  six 
feet  high  by  nine  feet  long,  but  the  President  objected.  "  Consider,  sir," 
said  he,  "  the  vast  size  of  the  apartment  in  which  these  works  are  to  be 
placed — the  rotunda,  one  hundred  feet  in  diameter,  and  the  same  in  height 
— paintings  of  the  size  which  you  propose,  will  be  lost  in  such  a  space;  they 
must  be  of  dimensions  to  admit  the  figures  to  be  the  size  of  life."  The  con- 
tract for  the  paintings  was  formally  executed  on  March  i5th  by  Richard  Rush, 
acting  Secretary  of  State;  and  Trumbull  immediately  set  to  work  upon  the 
canvases.  The  artist  received  $8,000  in  advance,  which  was  evidently  very 
welcome;  for,  with  the  usual  fatality  of  a  man  of  genius,  he  admits  that  he 
had  been  "  constantly  drifting  upon  the  fatal  lee-shore  of  debt,  and  of  ne- 
cessity was  driven  to  continue  the  wretched  resource  of  borrowing  the  means 
of  subsistence." 

Trumbull  was  unusually  well  fitted  for  his  task  by  reason  of  his  actual 
knowledge  of  the  war  and  .his  personal  acquaintance  with  the  builders  of  the 
nation.  The  $32,000  which  he  received  from  Congress  in  payment  for  the 
four  pictures  was  only  a  reasonable  compensation  for  the  time  occupied  and 
the  cleverness  displayed  in  the  studies  and  finished  works.  For  their  histori- 
cal value,  if  for  naught  else,  the  paintings  are  worthy  of  the  place  they 
occupy.  The  individual  portraits  are  valuable  as  replicas  of  life  portraits 
contained  in  the  small  original  pictures  now  in  the  Trumbull  collection  at 
Yale  University.  Washington,  writing  to  Lafayette  in  1791,  says  of  Trum- 
bull's  work  :  "  He  has  spared  no  pains  in  obtaining  from  the  life,  the  likenesses 
of  those  characters,  French  as  well  as  American,  who  bore  a  conspicuous  part 
in  our  Revolution ;  and  the  success  with  which  his  efforts  have  been  crowned, 


io6 


The  National  Capitol 


<H)3F    (GEKTEIRAIL 

-..  ^   ...i     ..At  Saratoga  N.Y    October   17*  1777 
/  v  «L**J  r*/fs* 


1.    Major     LITHCOW     Mass.     2.  Colonel  CILLY  N  H.      3.    General    STARK     N.H.     4.    Capt.  SEYMOUR     Con.     of   Shtltons  horse.. 
5.    Ma, ox     HULL      Mass          6      Colonel     CREATON     Ma-ss.      7.   Major    DEARBORNE     N.H         8.    Colonel     SCAMMELL    N  H,. 
9    Colonel     LEWIS     Quartermaster  General    NH        1O. .  Major   General    PHILLIPS   Jritisk.       11    Lieut.    General    BURCOYNE  British. 
12.  General  Baxon    RIEDESEL.  German.     13.    Colonel     WILKINSON    Deputy -AdjudoM  Cateral. AnenfOTt..     H.  General     GATES. 
15.  Colonel    PRESCOTT    Mail  KilunUa*       16   Colonel      MORGAN    Virginia.  JUfUmtn     17    Brigadier    General    RUFUS    PUTNAM    Mas* 
18.   Lieutenant    Colonel      JOHN     BROOKS     Uu  Governor  of    Masscuhusetta .        19      Rev   Mr     HITCHCOCK     CtuipUuJl      R.I 
2Q  Major   ROB     TROUP  Aid  <U  Ca.mp   NT.     21.  Major  MASK EtL     22    Major   ARMSTRONG.    23.  Major  Gen   PH     SCHUYLER  Albany 
Ilk.  Bn^tulier    General    CLOVER     Mass.      13    Brigadier   Gen.  WHIPPLE    N.  H.  Militia,.    26.  Major  M.  CLARKSON  Aui  <U  Camp  NY! 
27      Major     EBENEZER    STEVENS    Mjass 


will  form  no  small  part  of  the  value  of  his  pieces."  The  sameness  of 
expression  in  the  various  faces,  so  often  noted,  is  due  as  much  to  the  fact  that 
the  style  of  the  period  was  to  appear  with  the  face  smoothly  shaven  as  to  a 
want  of  individuality  expressed  by  the  painter.  The  Duke  de  Lauzun  is 
noticeable  as  the  only  one  in  the  four  pictures  wearing  even  a  moustache. 
Many  of  the  figures  are  stiff  and  unnatural,  and  the  perspective  is  not  always 
of  the  best.  The  grouping,  however,  is  good,  and  while  the  pictures  do  not 
in  color,  drawing,  imagination  or  vitality  approach  the  excellence  reached  by 
Meissonier,  Detaille,  Sargent,  Dagnan-Bouveret  and  other  modern  soldier  and 
portrait  painters,  they  compare  favorably  with  the  art  of  their  own  period  and 
are  creditable  to  the  purposes  of  the  artist. 

The  Signing  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  is  the  most  generally 
admired,  as  it  is  the  most  natural  in  tone  and  finish;  after  it,  the  Resignation 
of  Washington.  Perhaps  the  superiority  of  these  interior  scenes  is  somewhat 
attributable  to  the  artist's  apparent  want  of  skill  in  landscape  painting, 
evinced  by  the  backgrounds  in  the  companion  pictures.  John  Quincy  Adams, 
in  his  diary  of  September  i,  1818,  written  in  New  York,  gives  an  interesting 
reflection  in  disparagement  of  the  picture  which  is  now  best  liked  :  "  Called 


The  National  Capitol  109 

about  eleven  o'clock  at  Mr.  Trumbull's  house,  and  saw  his  picture  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  which  is  now  nearly  finished.  I  cannot  say  I 
was  disappointed  in  the  execution  of  it,  because  my  expectations  were  very 
low;  but  the  picture  is  immeasurably  below  the  dignity  of  the  subject.  It 
may  be  said  of  Trumbull's  talent  as  the  Spaniards  say  of  heroes  who  were  brave 
on  a  certain  day  :  he  has  painted  good  pictures.  I  think  the  old  small  picture 
far  superior  to  this  large  new  one.  He  himself  thinks  otherwise.  He  has 
some  books  on  the  President's  table  which  the  Abbe"  Correa  advised  him  to 
letter  on  the  backs,  Locke  and  Sidney.  I  told  him  I  thought  that  was  not  the 
place  for  that.  They  were  books  for  the  members  to  read  at  home,  but  not  to 
take  with  them  there.  I  advised  him  to  letter  them  simply  '  Journals.'  " 

Upon  the  completion  of  all  the  paintings,  they  were  hung  in  their  present 
positions,  two  of  them  by  the  President's  permission  having  been  previously 
exhibited  in  other  cities,  where  they  are  said  to  have  met  with  general  praise. 
The  Declaration  of  Independence  was  first  temporarily  hung  in  the  room  of 
the  north  wing,  then  used  for  the  sittings  of  the  Supreme  Court.  That  por- 
tion of  the  old  Capitol  had  been  first  rebuilt  and  was  believed  to  be  dry ;  but 
it  proved  far  otherwise.  When  the  paintings  were  hung,  John  Randolph,  who 
had  supported  and  voted  for  the  Trumbull  resolution,  maliciously  criticised 
them  in  debate,  in  opposition  to  the  New  England  members,  who,  in  the 
finished  work,  found  praise  for  the  artist.  His  bitterness,  however,  can  be 
accounted  for  upon  no  other  hypothesis  than  that  Congressmen,  like  the  ladies, 
have  the  privilege  of  changing  their  minds. 

"  When,  in  1824,  I  went  to  Washington,"  writes  Trumbull,  "  to  place  all 
the  paintings  in  their  ultimate  destination,  I  found  the  grand  room  finished 
indeed,  but  so  very  damp  that  I  felt  great  reluctance  in  placing  them  there, 
and  insisted  most  strenuously  upon  having  the  great  opening  in  the  centre  of 
the  room,  which  had  been  left  for  the  purpose  of  lighting  the  crypt,  closed ; 
for,  as  the  arches  behind  and  under  the  porticos  were  closed  only  by  iron 
grilles,  the  external  air  was  freely  admitted  into  the  crypt,  in  all  varieties  of 
weather,  as  well  by  night  as  by  day,  and  thence,  by  means  of  this  unfortunate 
and  ill  judged  opening,  distributed  through  the  great  room,  to  every  part  of  the 
principal  floor  of  the  building,  rendering  the  atmosphere  of  all  of  the  apart- 
ments equally  damp  and  cold  as  the  weather  in  the  open  square.  My  remon- 
strances, however,  were  all  in  vain;  and  in  this  situation  the  four  paintings 
were  .placed  and  remained  until,  in  1828,  the  change  on  their  surfaces  became 
obvious  and  conspicuous  to  all  who  saw  them,  and  occasioned  the  resolution 
of  the  house  of  representatives  alluded  to  in  the  following  report,*  which  I 
addressed  to  the  speaker  of  the  house  on  the  gih  of  December,  1828." 

To  guard  against  future  injury,  the  paintings  under  the  artist's  direction 

*  See  Appendix,  p.   257. 


The  National  Capitol 


The. portraits 


Yorktovm  Vo.   October  19th  -1781.  . 

«<r  obuusied  uiPans  1731  Ami  faulted  by  TmsnJtidL  from, 
fftrs.on.  then  Minister  ta  front*,  from,  the  L'ruMd.  States 


1.  Count   DEUXPONTS      Colonel  of  French    infantry.        2.     Duke   de   LAVAL 

3.  Count.    CUSTINE     Colonel    of    French.     Infantry .          4.    Duke    de      LAUZUN       Colonel     of    French,     Cava.lry 
5    Genera.!     CHOIZY.     6    Viscount,    V10MENIL.    7.  Muquis  de   ST   SIMON.    8.  Count  FERSEN  AuLde  Camp  <rf  Count  RottuunJ/eai*.' 
9.   Count  CHARLES   DAM  AS  Aid  de  Camp  of  Count  Rochembaui..   1O.  Marquis     CHA9T6LLUX.       11.    Ba.ron      VIOMtNIJL. 
12.  Ooxint  de    BARRAS  Admiral     B.  Count  de  GRASS  E  Jdmtral.    (14.  Count'   ROCHAM8EAU    General    en,   Cnef    ties   frarifftii 
15   Ooieral    LINCOLN.    16   CbJonel    E     STEVENS    of  Jmeriaui  ArtMery       17.     CencKal    WASHINGTON    Cammamter   i*  •  Chief. 
18.  THOM.  NELSON  r.m  of  Va..      19.  Marquis  .  LA  FAY ETTE.    20.  Baion  STEUBEN  .    21.Col.COBB   Aid.de  Camp  to    Oen.VashinytOl 
22.  Colonel    TRUMBlJLL    Secretary  to    Gen  Vtulungton.    23.  Majoi-  General     JAMES     CLINTON     N.Y.      24.    General    GIST.  MA. 
Z5.  Ceil  ANTHONY   WAYNE   Fa..    26.  GerverUl..  H  AN  O     Pa,  AdjuAant.    General.      27.    General    PETER     MLJHLENBERO    T*S 
28  Major  Cen    HENRY  KNOX   Gjramasuter  of  Artillery .    29    Lieut  Col.- E   HUNTINOTON    Acting  J.M  tie  Camp  of  Uen.LinColn.. 
30.  Colonol    TIMOTHY    PICKERING   Quartermaster  General .      31  -Colonel     ALEX.    HAMILTON    Commantting   l.if/la.' Jru'aney. 
Jl-     Co)    JOHN    LAUREN'S     S.C.    33.  Colonel  WALTER  STUART     nilUij    34.Colont;l    NICHOLAS   FISH    NJf.. 


were  removed  to  dry  rooms  and  the  backs  of  the  canvases  coated  with  melted 
beeswax  and  oil  of  turpentine.  The  niches  in  the  solid  walls  were  plastered 
with  hydraulic  cement.  At  the  same  time,  curtains  were  hung  which  could  be 
drawn  over  the  pictures  when  the  rotunda  was  swept,  and  self-closing  baize 
doors  erected  to  keep  out  the  cold  air. 

Strange  to  say,  the  light  from  above,  which  the  artist  fought  to  obtain 
by  the  construction  of  the  old  dome,  and  which  is  similar  in  the  new  one,  is 
so  diffused  that,  aided  by  thousands  of  shadows  and  reflections  and  by  the 
peculiar  colors  used  in  the  paintings,  it  has  preserved  the  Trumbull  pictures 
seventy-three  years  uncopied  save  by  pencil.  Even  the  vignettes  used  by  the 
government  in  the  adornment  of  certain  monetary  issues  are  engraved  from 
sketches.  J.  K.  Killers,  the  photographer  of  the  Geological  Survey,  and  one 
of  the  party  who,  with  Major  Powell,  first  explored  the  Grand  Canon  of  the 
Colorado,  secured  them,  and  the  other  paintings  in  the  rotunda,  for  this  vol- 
ume in  July,  1897,  by  a  secret  process. 

Declaration  of  Independence. — Franklin,  Jefferson,  Adams,  Living- 
ston and  Sherman,  the  committee  appointed  to  draft  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, reported  it  to  the  Continental  Congress  as  Jefferson  had  written  it. 


The  National  Capitol  113 

It  was  adopted,  after  a  few  amendments,  on  July  4,  1776,  by  the  vote  of  every 
Colony,  though  not  engrossed  and  signed  until  the  2d  of  August.  '  The  picture 
recalls  the  words  of  John  Adams  :  "  I  am  well  aware  of  the  toil,  and  blood, 
and  treasure  that  it  will  cost  us  to  maintain  this  Declaration,  and  support  and 
defend  these  States.  Yet,  through  all  this  gloom,  I  can  see  the  rays  of  rav- 
ishing light  and  glory."  John  Hancock,  the  President,  sits  at  the  table,  and 
before  him  stand  the  committee.  The  artist  found  it  more  effective  to  rep- 
resent the  whole  committee  advancing  to  make  their  report  than  to  have  the 
chairman  only,  as  is  the  custom,  arise  for  the  purpose. 

"  The  room,"  writes  Trumbull,  "  is  copied  from  that  in  which  Congress 
held  their  sessions  at  the  time,  such  as  it  was  before  the  spirit  of  innovation 
laid  unhallowed  hands  upon  it,  and  violated  its  venerable  walls  by  modern 
improvement,  as  it  is  called."  The  costumes  are  those  of  the  period.  By 
Adams'  and  Jefferson's  advice  the  signatures  on  the  original  instrument, 
which  is  preserved  in  the  library  of  the  Department  of  State,  were  used  as  a 
guide  to  those  who  were  present. 

The  painting  was  planned  at  Jefferson's  home  in  Paris,  where  the  artist 
had  the  assistance  of  the  Minister's  information  and  advice ;  and  there,  in 
the  autumn  of  1787,  he  "  painted  the  portrait  of  Mr.  Jefferson  in  the  original 
small  Declaration  of  Independence."  Hancock  and  Samuel  Adams  were 
painted  in  Boston,  and  Edward  Rutledge  in  Charleston,  S.  C.  Trumbull 
writes  from  London  :  "  I  resumed  my  labors,  however,  and  went  on  with  my 
studies  of  other  subjects  of  the  history  of  the  Revolution,  arranged  carefully 
the  composition  for  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  prepared  it  for 
receiving  the  portraits,  as  I  might  meet  with  the  distinguished  men,  who  were 
present  at  that  illustrious  scene.  In  the  course  of  the  summer  of  1787,  Mr. 
Adams  took  leave  of  the  court  of  St.  James,  and  preparatory  to  the  voyage 
to  America,  had  the  powder  combed  out  of  his  hair. '  Its  color  and  natural 
curl  were  beautiful,  and  I  took  that  opportunity  to  paint  his  portrait  in  the 
small  Declaration  of  Independence." 

Surrender  of  General  Biirgoyne. — Following  the  brilliant  charge 
of  Arnold  on  October  7,  1777,  Burgoyne  fell  back  upon  Saratoga.  Here  the 
British  were  surrounded  upon  all  sides;  and  on  the  i7th,  the  entire  army  of 
nearly  6,000  men,  though  allowed  to  march  out  of  their  camp  with  all  the 
honors  of  war,  were  compelled  to  lay  down  their  arms  and  leave  their  artil- 
lery. "  General  Burgoyne,"  writes  Wilkinson  in  his  Memoirs,  "  proposed  to 
be  introduced  to  General  Gates,  and  we  crossed  the  Fishkill,  and  proceeded 
to  headquarters  on  horseback.  General  Gates,  advised  of  Burgoyne's  ap- 
proach, met  him  at  the  head  of  his  camp.  Burgoyne,  in  a  rich  royal  uni- 
form, and  Gates,  in  a  plain  blue  frock.  When  they  approached  nearly  within 
sword's  length,  they  reined  up  and  halted.  I  then  named  the  gentlemen,  and 
General  Burgoyne,  raising  his  hat  most  gracefully,  said,  '  The  fortune  of  war, 


The  National  Capitol 


MIESKKSIHtK  IMS 
,to   Congress,  at   Annapolis  Md,  Decemb.  23"?-  1763 


1  THOMAS  MIFFLIN   Pa.  Ft^sidM.  'Member  of  Ccngras.    2.  CHAS.   THOMPSON  K^Xe^eg&^aafrat    3.  EtBRIDCE   GERRY    M<usJK£ 
4   HUGH    WILLIAMSON    ti.C.Jff      5.   SAMUEL   OSGOOD  Hiua.  X.C.      6.  EOW   M9COMB    9<H.JHC.    7.  GEO.  PARTRIDGE    Musi   XC. 
8.  EDWARD    LLOYD  Md.-MC     9     RDSPAIGHT    N.  C    M.  C-     10.  BEN  J.  HAW.KI  NS    N,  C   X  C.  .11.   A.  FOST  ER    N.H.  Jf.C. 
12    THOMAS   JEFFERSON   Vet.  M  C    13  ARTHUR   tEE   Vf-MC       K.  DAVID    HOW6LL    R.I.-JTC      15.  JAMES     MONROE   Va.JTC. 
16  JACOB   REID    S  C  ^KC.     17  JAMES    MADISON  Va.  Spectator        18.  WILLIAM    ELLERY   R.I  .W.C.     19.  J.TQWNLEY  CHASE  MeLJTC. 
2O    S.HAROY  Ve..YC      21    CHAS    MORRISS   Pa.    MC.     22     Ocneral    WASHINGTON.     23    Colonel  BENJ.  WALKER  Jui,  <U    Ciunf 
24    Col    DAVID    HUMPH  RY S  AMde  Camp     23    Gen   SMALLWOOD  Md.  Spectator.      26.  Geo.  OTHO    HOLLAND   WILLIAMS  Md.  Spcctr 
27    Col   SAMUEL  SMITH   Md  Specf.    28    Col.  JOHN   E.HOWARD   Bcdtimorc.  Spectr.    29    CHAS.  CARROLL    cmA  cuv  <t 

3O     Mrs  WASHINGTON    and   for  ttiret    Grasut-Ouldren.  31.    DANIEL  o£      S!    JENNIFER     Wd.    Spectator. 


General  Gates,  has  made  me  your  prisoner ' ;  to  which  the  conqueror,  return- 
ing a  courtly  salute,  promptly  replied,  '  I  shall  always  be  ready  to  bear  testi- 
mony, that  it  has  not  been  through  any  fault  of  your  excellency.'  " 

"  The  painting,"  says  Trumbull,  "  represents  General  Burgoyne,  attended 
by  General  Phillips,  and  followed  by  other  officers,  arriving  near  the  marquee 
of  General  Gates.  General  Gates  has  advanced  a  few  steps  from  the  entrance, 
to  meet  his  prisoner,  who,  with  General  Phillips,  has  dismounted,  and  is  in 
the  act  of  offering  his  sword,  which  General  Gates  declines  to  receive,  and 
invites  them  to  enter." 

Surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis. — The  surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis  on 
October  19,  1781,  was  the  virtual  end  of  the  Revolution.  His  troops,  num- 
bering about  7,073,  became  "  prisoners  of  war  to  Congress,  and  the  naval 
force  to  France."  The  army  was  not  permitted  to  march  out  with  colors 
flying ;  for  a  like  honor  had  been  refused  to  General  Lincoln  when  he  was 
forced  to  give  up  Charleston.  Washington  still  further  honored  that  officer 
by  directing  him  to  receive  the  surrender  of  the  royal  army.  Dr.  Thacher,  in 
his  Military  Journal,  gives  the  following  word-picture  of  the  ceremony  :  "  At 
about  twelve  o'clock  the  combined  army  was  drawn  up  into  two  lines  more 
than  a  mile  in  length,  the  Americans  on  the  right  side  of  the  road,  the  French 
on  their  left.  Washington,  mounted  on  a  noble  steed,  and  attended  by  his 


C 

g 
X 


The  National  Capitol  "7 

staff,  was  in  front  of  the  former;  the  Count  de  Rochambeau  and  his  suite,  of 
the  latter.  The  French  troops  in  complete  uniform,  and  well  equipped,  made 
a  brilliant  appearance,  and  had  marched  to  the  ground  with  a  band  of  music 
playing,  which  was  a  novelty  in  the  American  service.  The  American  troops, 
but  part  in  uniform,  and  all  in  garments  much  the  worse  for  wear,  yet  had  a 
spirited,  soldier-like  air.  About  two  o'clock  the  garrison  sallied  forth,  and 
passed  through  with  shouldered  arms,  slow  and  solemn  steps,  colors  cased, 
and  drums  beating  a  British  march.  They  were  all  well  clad,  having  been 
furnished  with  new  suits  prior  to  the  capitulation.  They  were  led  by  General 
O'Hara  on  horseback,  who,  riding  up  to  General  Washington,  took  off  his  hat 
and  apologized  for  the  non-appearance  of  Lord  Cornwall  is,  on  account  of 
indisposition.  Washington  received  him  with  dignified  courtesy,  but  pointed 
to  Major-general  Lincoln  as  the  officer  who  was  to  receive  the  submission  of 
the  garrison.  By  him  they  were  conducted  into  a  field  where  they  were  to 
ground  their  arms.  In  passing  through  the  line  formed  by  the  allied  army, 
their  march  was  careless  and  irregular,  and  their  aspect  sullen,  the  order  to 
'  ground  arms '  was  given  by  their  platoon  officer  with  a  tone  of  deep  chagrin, 
and  many  of  the  soldiers  threw  down  their  muskets  with  a  violence  sufficient 
to  break  them.  "  This  irregularity  was  checked  by  General  Lincoln ;  yet  it  was 
excusable  in  brave  men  in  their  unfortunate  predicament.  This  ceremony 
over,  they  were  conducted  back  to  Yorktown,  to  remain  under  guard  until 
removed  to  their  places  of  destination." 

In  the  painting,  General  Lincoln  on  horseback  is  conducting  the  defeated 
army  between  the  two  lines  of  the  victors.  The  entrance  to  the  town  is  depicted 
in  the  center,  with  a  glimpse  of  York  River  and  the  Chesapeake  Bay.  Trum- 
bull  specially  visited  Yorktown  to  study  the  scene.  The  French  officers  were 
painted  from  life  at  Jefferson's  house  in  Paris,  long  before  the  present  picture 
was  executed.  Trumbull,  writing  from  London  about  the  same  time,  says : 
"  I  also  made  various  studies  for  the  Surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis,  and  in 
this  found  great  difficulty;  the  scene  was  altogether  one  of  utter  formality — 
the  ground  was  level — military  etiquette  was  to  be  scrupulously  observed,  and 
yet  the  portraits  of  the  principal  officers  of  three  proud  nations  must  be 
preserved,  without  interrupting  the  general  regularity  of  the  scene.  I  drew 
it  over  and  over  again,  and  at  last,  having  resolved  upon  the  present  arrange- 
ment, I  prepared  the  small  picture  to  receive  the  portraits." 

General  Washington  Resigning  his  Commission. — Washington 
resigned  his  commission  as  Commander-in-chief  to  Congress,  then  sitting  at 
Annapolis,  Maryland,  at  noon  on  December  23,  1783,  a  public  entertainment 
having  been  given  in  his  honor  the  day  before.  General  Mifflin,  its  President, 
responded  to  his  address  with  reverent  courtesy  and  deep  regard.  Congress 
remained  seated  and  covered;  the  vast  assembly  of  spectators,  standing  and 
uncovered.  The  consul-general  of  France,  and  many  of  the  public  function- 


iiS 


The  National  Capitol 


1.  Mr  ROBINSON  Ftator-ofOie  eongrefaiion.  ^  Elder  WM  BREWSTER.  A  Mrs  BREWSTtR  and. 
V  GovCARVER.  5  WM.  BRADFORD  6  Mr  £  Mrs  WHITE  7  Mr  *  Mrs.  WINSIOW.  8.  Mr.*  Mrs  FU  LIER. 
9.  MILES  STANDISH  and.  his  wife  Host.  10.  Mrs  BRADFORD,  iht  fell  overboard.  the.  dnythe'veJsrl  came,  to  author 
U  Mrs  CARVER  a*d  d-tld,  12  Cayt  REYNOLDS  ajid  Sailor  13  BOY  betonaina  to  Carver  anS.  family. 
IV  W<  in  ttiasye.  of  NrWnsla*  15  BOY  belonging,  ta  Mrs.  VRnslo*'a  famifp.  16.  A  NURSt  and.  child.. 


aries  of  Maryland  were  present.  "  Few  tragedies  ever  drew  so  many  tears 
from  so  many  beautiful  eyes  as  the  moving  manner  in  which  his  Excellency 
took  his  leave  from  Congress."  In  the  picture,  we  can  almost  hear  him  feel- 
ingly utter  the  words  of  his  only  surrender  :  "  I  have  now  the  honor  of  offer- 
ing my  sincere  congratulations  to  Congress,  and  of  presenting  myself  before 
them,  to  surrender  into  their  hands  the  trust  committed  to  me,  and  to  claim 
the  indulgence  of  retiring  from  the  service  of  my  country." 

Weir,  Vanderlyii,  Powell  and  Chapman  Paintings.  —  By  a  joint 
resolution  of  June  23,  1836,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  "  contract  with 
one  or  more  competent  American  artists  for  the  execution  of  four  historical 
pictures  upon  subjects  serving  to  illustrate  the  discovery  of  America,  the  set- 
tlement of  the  United  States,  the  history  of  the  Revolution,  or  the  adoption 
of  the  Constitution,  to  be  placed  in  the  vacant  panels  of  the  rotunda,  the 
selection  of  the  subjects  to  be  left  to  the  choice  of  the  artists  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  Committee."  It  was  under  this  authority  that  the  remaining  large 
panels  of  the  rotunda  were  filled  with  pictures.  They  are,  however,  purely 
fanciful,  not  historical. 

The  Embarkation  of  the  Pilgrims.  —  The  Embarkation  of  the  Pilgrims 
by  Robert  Weir  affects  us  with  something  of  the  same  incongruity  which  we  feel 


The  National  Capitol  121 

upon  reading  the  words  of  one  of  the  Pilgrims  at  starting:  "  We  sang  psalms 
and  were  merry."  The  picture  is  gloomy,  hard  and  uninteresting,  but  com- 
mands the  respect  of  the  general  public  because  of  its  deep  religious  spirit, 
and  of  critics  because  of  the  clever  handling  of  some  of  the  painting  in 
shadow,  its  general  conscientiousness  and,  in  places,  its  admirable  technique. 
It  represents  the  Speedwell  on  July  22,  1620,  just  before  she  set  sail  from 
Delft  Haven  for  Southampton,  to  be  joined  by  the  Mayflower.  The  Pilgrims 
had  fled  from  Scrooby,  England,  in  1608;  and  now,  after  years  of  toil  in 
Holland,  they  are  about  to  seek  yet  another  home,  where  they  may  worship 
God  as  they  will.  The  Speedwell,  however,  did  not  reach  America.  She  was 
found  to  be  utterly  unseaworthy ;  and  at  Plymouth,  England,  as  many  of  her 
passengers  as  possible  were  transferred  to  the  Mayflower,  which  then,  late  in 
September,  set  sail  alone  for  the  New  World. 

The  La  in  I  i  M-  of  Columbus. — The  Landing  of  Columbus  is  the  work  of 
John  Vanderlyn.  It  is  unnatural,  feeble  in  execution  and  lacking  in  general 
impressiveness.  It  purports  to  represent  the  landing  of  the  Spaniards  on  San 
Salvador  in  1492.  The  great  Genoese  admiral,  commanding  under  the  flag 
of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  the  Santa  Maria,  Nina  and  Pinta,  takes  possession 
of  that  island-child  of  the  American  continents  in  the  fond  delusion  that  he 
has  discovered  a  new  way  to  the  East  Indies. 

It  is  hard  to  believe  that  this  picture  is  from  the  brush  of  the  pupil  of 
Stuart  and  Robertson  whom  Burr  honored  as  his  protege  and  thought  the  great- 
est American  painter.  Indeed,  Bishop  Kip  says  :  "  In  1844,  I  was  in  Paris, 
and  inquiring  about  the  picture,  found  that  it  was  advancing  under  the  hand 
of  a  clever  French  artist  whom  Vanderlyn  had  employed.  Of  course,  the  con- 
ception and  design  were  his  own,  but  I  believe  little  of  the  actual  work.  In 
fact  no  one  familiar  with  Vanderlyn's  early  style  could  ever  imagine  the 
'  Columbus'  to  be  his.  Place  it  by  the  side  of  the  '  Marius,'  and  you  see 
that  they  are  evidently  executed  by  different  artists.  The  '  Marius  '  has  the 
dark,  severe  tone  of  the  old  masters  ;  the  '  Landing  of  Columbus '  is  a  flashy 
modern  French  painting." 

The  painting  of  Marius  referred  to  so  attracted  the  attention  of  Napo- 
leon the  Great  that,  after  viewing  the  other  pictures  in  the  exhibition,  he 
returned  to  it  and  in  his  rapid  manner  of  speech  said:  "  Give  the  medal  to 
that."  It  is  remembered  that  the  emperor  wished  even  to  purchase  it  for 
permanent  hanging  in  the  Louvre,  but  that  Vanderlyn  patriotically  declined, 
preferring  to  bring  his  best  work  to  America. 

The  Discovery  of  the  Mississippi. — The  Discovery  of  the  Mississippi 
was  painted  by  William  H.  Powell.  Some  of  the  drawings  for  it  were  made 
in  Paris,  and  it  shows  unmistakably  the  influence  of  French  art.  It  has, 
perhaps,  as  little  claim  to  historical  merit  as  any  picture  ever  painted,  and 
is  as  purely  fanciful  in  color  as  in  the  handling  of  the  theme.  The  bright 


122  The  National  Capitol 

armor,  gay  trappings  and  prancing  horses  do  not  befit  that  ill-starred  expedi- 
tion which,  starting  from  Spain  in  1538  six  hundred  strong,  arrived  on  the 
coast  of  Mexico  in  1543  an  enfeebled  remnant  of  less  than  half  that  number, 
glad  to  have  escaped  with  life  the  inhospitable  swamps  and  savages.  De 
Soto,  in  search  of  the  realization  of  his  golden  dreams,  found  only  a  grave 
beneath  the  waters  of  the  mighty  Western  river. 

The  picture,  however,  is  remarkably  pleasing  for  its  vitality,  admirable 
dramatic  grouping  and  buoyancy  of  effect.  It  was  painted  in  accordance 
with  an  act  of  Congress  of  1847,  authorizing  the  Library  Committee  to  con- 
tract for  an  historical  picture  to  take  the  place  of  the  one  which  Henry 
Inman,  an  original  contractor,  had  left  unfinished  at  his  untimely  death.  As 
Inman  had  already  received  three  instalments  of  $2,000  each,  there  were  but 
$4,000  still  available  on  the  unexecuted  contract ;  $6,000  besides  were  directly 
appropriated  to  Powell  for  the  present  painting.  On  March  3,  1855,  Powell 
received  an  additional  appropriation  of  $2,000,  making  the  total  cost  to  the 
government  for  the  adornment  of  the  panel  $12,000. 

The  Baptism  of  Pocahontas. — The  Baptism  of  Pocahontas  was  painted 
by  John  G.  Chapman.  Matoaka,  signifying  a  streamlet  between  two  hills, 
or  the  "Snow  Feather,"  as  her  Indian  friends  delighted  to  call  her,  was 
christened  Rebecca.  "Chapman,"  says  Watterston,  "has- given  what  may 
be  considered  as  a  true  representation  of  Nantaquaas,  the  brother  of  Poca- 
•  hontas,  whom  Captain  Smith  seems  to  have  regarded  as  the  very  beau  ideal  of 
manly  beauty.  The  sister  of  Pocahontas  is  seated  on  the  floor,  with  her  child 
clinging  to  her,  while  Opechankanough,  also  seated  in  the  Indian  fashion, 
scowls  at  the  ceremony  with  deep  malignity  and  ferocity.  Rolfe,  the  husband 
of  Pocahontas,  stands  behind  her.  Sir  Thomas  Dale,  in  the  martial  costume 
of  the  age,  stands  on  the  right  of  the  officiating  clergyman,  Whi taker,  and  his 
standard  bearer  and  page  near  him." 

Though  the  light-effect  on  the  two  principal  figures  pleasingly  catches  the 
passing  eye,  and  though  the  picture  is  most  sympathetic  to  popular  fancy,  the 
whole  as  a  work  of  art  is  unworthy  of  serious  criticism.  The  subject,  too,  is 
not  sufficiently  important  to  warrant  the  conspicuous  hanging.  The  scene  is 
laid  in  Virginia  just  prior  to  the  marriage  of  this  daughter  of  Powhatan  in 
April,  1613.  During  the  absence  of  John  Smith,  Captain  Argall  had  bribed 
Japazaws  to  betray  Pocahontas  into  his  hands.  While  on  shipboard,  she  had 
fallen  in  love  with  an  Englishman,  John  Rolfe,  in  whose  country  she  died  four 
years  later.  Their  union  brought  about  a  peace  of  many  years  with  the  Indians 
around  Jamestown. 

Rilievos. — The  arabesques  above  the  paintings  are  adorned  with  sculp- 
tured portraits,  by  Capellano  and  Causici,  of  Columbus,  Raleigh,  Cabot  and 
La  Salle.  These  with  their  wreath-work  adornment,  executed  in  1827,  cost 
$9,500. 


The  National  Capitol  125 

In  the  contracted  panels  over  the  doors  leading  from  the  rotunda  toward 
the  four  points  of  the  compass  are  decorative  designs  in  demi-relief,  which 
are  disgraceful  disfigurements  of  the  room  and  valuable  only  for  the  good- 
natured  smile  which  they  inevitably  provoke  from  the  most  melancholy  spec- 
tator. The  government  paid  $14,000  for  these  unique  decorations.  Above 
the  northern  exit,  .Gevelot  has  presumably  represented  William  Penn  making 
his  famous  treaty  with  the  Indians.  The  remarkable  group  by  Causici  above 
the  bronze  door  portrays  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  ;  while  the  one  over  the 
south  door,  executed  by  the  same  artist,  shows  a  hand-to-hand  conflict  be- 
tween Daniel  Boone  and  two  Indians.  The  similar  decorative  panel  above 
the  western  entrance  is  by  Capellano,  and  represents  Pocahontas  saving  the 
life  of  Captain  John  Smith. 

The  effect  of  these  grotesque  figures,  crowded  out  of  proportion  by  the 
contracted  panels,  was  amusingly  satirized  by  Mr.  Wise  on  the  floor  of  the 
House  at  the  time  of  his  tirade  upon  Greenough's  "  naked  statue  of  George 
Washington."  Mr.  Wise  said  that  "  there  was  scarce  one  of  the  specimens  of 
sculpture  or  painting  in  the  rotundo  which  had  not  been  dubbed  with  some 
disgraceful  epithet,  or  been  made  the  subject  of  some  pungent  criticism. 
The  Indians  when  looking  at  the  representations  of  their  fellow  aborigines, 
had  observed,  with  much  caustic  shrewdness,  that  the  first,  over  the  door  of 
the  entrance,  represented  the  old  world  coming  to  the  new,  and  the  new  wel- 
coming the  old,  and  giving  it  corn ;  but  in  the  next  was  the  representation  of 
a  treaty,  in  which  the  white  man  cheated  the  Indian  !  Then  came  Smith 
saved  by  Pocahontas  from  death ;  and  in  the  very  next  panel  was  Boone 
murdering  two  Indians  !  '  We  give  you  corn,  you  cheat  us  of  our  lands ;  we 
save  your  life,  you  take  ours.'  A  pretty  faithful  history  of  our  dealing  with 
the  native  tribes  !  Then  as  to  the  painting  of  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence, everybody  remembered  John  Randolph's  nickname  of  '  the  shin-piece.' 
And  who  could  forget  the  bitter  criticism  of  Burges,  on  the  representation  of 
Boone,  '  That  it  very  truly  represented  our  dealing  with  the  Indians,  for  we 
had  not  left  them  even  a  space  to  die  upon."  (The  whole  ground  in  that  panel 
being  occupied  by  the  body  of  the  Indian  already  dispatched,  so  that  when  the 
other  fell  he  must  lie  on  the  body  of  his  countryman.)  " 

The  President's  Secretary. — In  April,  1828,  John  Adams,  the  secre- 
tary and  messenger  of  John  Quincy  Adams,  was  charged  with  the  delivery  of  a 
Message  to  each  House  of  Congress.  Whilst  passing  from  the  Hall  of  Rep- 
resentatives, after  delivering  his  Message  to  that  body,  to  the  Senate  Cham- 
ber, he  was  waylaid  and  assaulted  in  the  rotunda  by  Russell  Jarvis  in  the  pres- 
ence of  a  Member  of  the  House,  who  interposed  and  separated  the  parties. 
The  President  notified  the  Senate  of  the  assault ;  but,  though  a  resolution  was 
introduced  declaring  it  a  contempt,  that  body  adjourned  sine  die  without 
taking  action. 


i26  The  National  Capitol 

Remains  in  State.  L/incoln. — Booth  shot  Lincoln  a  few  minutes  after 
ten  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  Good  Friday,  April  14,  1865.  The  President 
passed  away  the  next  day  in  a  private  house  opposite  Ford's  Theater,  where 
the  tragedy  occurred.  The  funeral  ceremony  proper  was  held  in  the  East 
Room  of  the  White  House,  April  ipth,  after  which,  at  two  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  the  procession  started  for  the  Capitol,  amidst  tolling  of  bells, 
firing  of  cannon  and  general  mourning.  The  cortege  slowly  ascended  the  hill 
to  the  north  of  the  Capitol,  entered  the  great  gates  and  proceeded  to  the  cen- 
tral eastern  stairway,  where  it  halted.  The  casket  of  the  dead  President  was 
borne  up  the  steps,  beneath  the  very  spot  where  six  weeks  before  he  had  de- 
livered his  second  inaugural.  The  remains  were  lovingly  laid  in  state  on  a 
simple  bier,  draped. in  black,  in  the  center  of  the  rotunda,  beneath  the  fres- 
coed canopy.  The  hall  itself  was  hung  with  mournful  trappings.  A  second 
service  was  then  read ;  and  the  procession  dispersed,  leaving  the  sacred  remains 
guarded  by  officers  with  drawn  swords.  Night  closed  in,  and  the  little  jets 
concealed  in  the  upper  dome  cast  mysterious  reflections  through  the  great  hall 
of  the  Capitol.  All  was  hushed;  for  the  chieftain  slept!  The  body  lay  in 
state  throughout  the  following  day,  when  thousands  paid  their  tearful  homage 
to  the  spot.  Before  seven  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  2ist,  the  little  box, 
which  held  so  much  that  the  people  loved  and  honored,  was  escorted  to  the 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  station  to  be  given  back  to  the  State  which  proudly  and 
sadly  claimed  it,  Lieutenant-General  Grant  closely  following  the  casket  of  his 
peace-loving  cpmmander-in-chief  whose  fortunes  strangely  had  been  cast  in 
the  midst  of  war. 

Stevens. — The  mortal  remains  of  Thaddeus  Stevens  were  placed  in  state 
beneath  the  canopy  on  the  i3th  of  August,  1868.  The  bier  which  supported 
the  casket  was  the  same  used  for  Lincoln,  newly  covered,  however,  with  black 
cloth,  "as  the  old  cloth."  records  the  Star,  "was  destroyed  by  the  recent 
explosion  at  the  Capitol.  The  catafalque  is  erected  immediately  in  front  of 
Ellicott's  statue  of  Lincoln  in  the  rotunda.  The  face  of  the  statue  towards 
the  coffin."  The  Butler  Zouaves  formed  the  guard  of  honor.  A  large  num- 
ber of  persons  paid  tribute  to  the  dead,  among  whom  were  noticeable  throngs 
of  colored  people,  some  deeply  affected.  At  nine  o'clock  on  the  morning  of 
the  1 4th,  appropriate  services  were  held,  also  in  the  rotunda,  after  which  the 
casket  was  borne  away. 

Garfieltl. — Late  in  the  afternoon  of  September  21,  1881,  the  plateau  to 
the  east  of  the  Capitol  was  massed  with  military  organizations.  The  officers 
of  the  army  and  navy  were  drawn  up  in  two  lines  leading  to  the  foot  of  the 
grand  central  steps,  which  were  crowded  with  people  save  where  a  passage- 
way had  been  kept  open  to  the  bronze  doors.  The  grounds  were  crowded 
with  spectators,  but  all  was  as  still  a?  night.  Before  the  steps  was  a  hearse 
drawn  by  six  magnificent  gray  horses.  A  rich  casket  was  dislodged  and 


The  National  Capitol  129 

borne  slowly  up  the  steps,  accompanied  by  the  reception  committee,  President 
Arthur  and  members  of  the  Cabinet,  and  by  legislators  and  justices  of  the 
highest  court  of  the  government.  The  Marine  Band  played  its  saddest  dirge. 
The  casket  was  placed  tenderly  on  the  bier,  and  a  second  martyred  President 
slept  in  the  rotunda  of  the  Capitol.  For  a  moment  the  assemblage  stood  in 
silence.  Then  the  panel  was  removed,  and  the  familiar  face,  emaciated  with 
long  suffering,  lay  open  to  view.  But  where  were  the  eloquent  lips  trembling 
with  the  emotion  of  fiery  debate,  where  the  full  cheek,  where  the  intellectual 
brow,  where  the  bright  eyes  whose  last  intelligent  gaze  had  been  upon  the 
boundless  sea  at  Elberon  ?  Even  General  Grant,  whose  duty  it  had  been  to 
gaze  carelessly  on  death,  was  affected  by  the  scene.  A  guard  of  honor  was  left 
to  watch  the  casket. 

On  the  morning  of  the  22d,  the  public  were  permitted  to  pay  their  tribute, 
and  during  that  day  thousands  passed  in  at  the  eastern  door  and  out  at  the 
western,  some  even  ascending  the  dome  to  see  the  great  number  of  mournful 
citizens  in  the  rotunda  and  the  long  line  outside  the  Capitol,  stretching  to 
Second  Street  and  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  each  awaiting  his  turn  to  pass  the 
casket.  It  is  supposed  that  40,000  persons  so  paid  their  tribute.  The  rotunda 
was  draped  in  mourning.  Exquisite  floral  decorations  surrounded  the  bier. 
One  massive  wreath  attracted  the  greatest  attention.  It  came  from  the  Brit- 
ish Embassy  at  the  express  command  of  the  Queen.  On  a  card  were  the  words  : 
"  Queen  Victoria,  to  the  memory  of  the  late  President  Garfield.  An  expres- 
sion of  her  sorrow  and  sympathy  with  Mrs.  Garfield  and  the  American  nation. 
September  22,  1881."  At  half-past  six  in  the  evening,  by  order  of  Secretary 
Blaine,  supposedly  at  Mrs.  Garfield's  request,  the  late  President's  face  was 
closed  to  view.  Even  this  did  not  stay  the  interest  of  the  public;  during  the 
next  morning,  thousands  passed  the  closed  casket. 

On  the  morning  of  the  23d,  Mrs.  Garfield,  accompanied  by  her  daughter 
Mollie,  her  son  Harry,  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Rockwell,  General  Swaim  and 
Attorney-General  and  Mrs.  MacVeagh,  drove  to  the  Senate  wing  and  repaired 
to  the  President's  room.  Sergeant-at-Arms  Bright  was  imme'diately  sum- 
moned; and  at  Mrs.  Garfield's  request,  the  guard  retired  from  the  rotunda, 
and  all  its  entrances  were  closed.  At  half-past  eleven,  the  bereaved  widow 
passed  through  the  north  door  and  knelt  by  the  mortal  remains  of  the  Presi- 
dent. The  walls  of  the  rotunda  only  can  tell  of  that  farewell  ! 

At  noon,  by  Mrs.  Garfield's  request,  General  Swaim  and  Colonel  Rockwell, 
the  devoted  friends  and  faithful  nurses  of  the  departed,  closed  and  locked 
for  the  last  time  the  casket-lid.  That  afternoon,  services  were  held  in  the 
presence  of  a  most  distinguished  gathering.  The  veterans  of  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland  were  the  first  to  enter  the  rotunda.  The  officers  of  the  army  and 
navy  wore  crape  upon  their  sleeves  and  sword  hilts.  The  Chief  Justice  and 
Associate  Justices  Miller,  Harlan  and  Matthews  were  present,  wearing  their 
9 


i3°  The  National  Capitol 

official  robes.  From  the  south  wing  came  the  members  and  officers  of  the 
House.  From  the  north  wing  came  the  Senate,  accompanied  by  the  Cabinet 
and  ex- Vice-Presidents  Hamlin  and  Wheeler.  In  advance  were  ex-Presidents 
Grant  and  Hayes,  with  President  Arthur  on  the  arm  of  Secretary  Elaine. 
The  last  two  sat  at  the  west  end  of  the  semi-circle  directly  opposite  the  ex- 
Presidents.  Seats  in  the  front  row  were  reserved  for  the  Cabinet  also  and  for 
members  of  the  family.  The  officiating  clergymen  and  the  philharmonic 
societies  were  grouped  about  the  head  of  the  casket.  As  the  first  notes  of 
the  hymn  "  Asleep  in  Jesus  "  were  sung,  the  guard  of  honor  quietly  withdrew, 
leaving  the  body  to  the  offices  of  the  Church.  Scripture  was  read  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Rankin.  This  was  followed  by  the  prayer  of  Elder  Isaac  Errett  of  Cincin- 
nati. Rev.  F.  D.  Poweres,  of  Vermont  Avenue  Christian  Church,  of  which 
Garfield  was  a  member,  then  preached  the  funeral  sermon,  after  which  another 
prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Butler.  As  the  casket  was  borne  down  the 
steps  of  the  Capitol,  a  beautiful  rainbow  was  clearly  visible  against  the  dark, 
cloud-swept  sky.  What  did  it  portend  ? 

Logan. — On  Thursday,  December  30,  1886,  the  mortal  remains  of  John 
A.  Logan,  the  brave,  were  conveyed  to  the  Capitol  from  his  fine  old  home, 
Calumet  Place,  where  he  had  at  last  surrendered.  The  casket,  wrapped  in 
the  American  flag,  was  laid  in  state  in  the  rotunda  upon  the  bier  which  had 
served  a  similar  purpose  for  the  remains  of  Lincoln,  Garfield,  Chase,  Sumner 
and  Stevens.  During  the  afternoon  and  night  and  until  eleven  o'clock  on 
Friday,  thousands  of  persons  viewed  the  remains  of  the  dead  Senator,  general 
and  patriot.  At  half-past  eleven,  the  casket  was  tenderly  borne  to  the  Sen- 
ate Chamber,  where  appropriate  funeral  services  were  held.  Justices  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  Senators,  Representatives  and  members  of  the  Cabinet  and 
diplomatic  corps  were  in  attendance.  Seats  immediately  in  front  of  the 
casket  were  reserved  for  Mrs.  Logan  and  others  of  the  family.  Rev.  Dr.  John 
P.  Newman,  Chaplain  Butler  of  the  Senate,  Bishop  Andrews  and  Rev.  Dr. 
Tiffany  were  the  officiating  clergymen.  The  ceremony  was  impressive. 
Fragrant  flowers  with  endearing  mottoes,  the  contribution  of  friends  and 
comrades  throughout  the  country,  occupied  all  the  available  space  around  the 
casket.  Rev.  Dr.  Newman  preached  an  eloquent  funeral  sermon. 

Midnight  in  the  Rotunda. — At  midnight  in  the  rotunda,  the  step  of 
the  traverser  grows  stealthy,  and  he  speaks  in  whispers.  The  historic  walls, 
which  so  oft  have  looked  upon  the  dead,  answer  step  and  voice  in  hollow 
accents  until  the  belated  visitor  finds  himself  looking  fearfully  for  some 
demon — some  spirit — to  leap  up  in  his  path,  or  drop  leopard-like  from  above. 
Behind  each  arch  lurks,  then,  the  Quasimodo  of  the  Capitol.  Can  the  spirit 
which  Victor  Hugo  conjured  up  for  Notre-Dame  have  sought  refuge  among 
the  secret  passages  of  the  dome  ?  Is  Quasimodo  alive ;  and  does  he  now 
unsuspected  lurk  in  and  defend  the  mighty  precincts  of  the  Capitol  as 


The  National  Capitol  133 

he  once  hovered  about  and   defended   Notre- Dame  ?    Who  knows  ?    Who 
knows  ? 

"  Egypt  would  have  taken  him  for  a  God  of  this  temple  ;  the  Middle  Ages  believed 
him  to  be  its  demon  ;  he  was  in  fact  its  soul.  So  much  was  this  the  case  that  to  those  who 
know  that  Quasimodo  has  existed,  Notre-Dame  is  now  solitary,  inanimate,  dead.  They 
feel  that  something  has  disappeared.  That  vast  body  is  empty — it  is  a  skeleton — the  spirit 
has  quitted  it — they  see  the  place  thereof,  but  that  is  all.  It  is  like  a  skull,  which  still  has 
holes  for  the  eyes,  but  no  eyesight." 


THE   CONGRESSIONAL   LIBRARY 


THE  rooms  which, 
until  July  31,  1897, 
were  occupied  by  the 
Congressional  Library 
are  upon  the  main 
floor,  on  the  west  front 
of  the  central  build- 
ing. The  four  col- 
umns to  the  right  and 
left  of  the  entrance 
door  are  worthy  of 
passing  notice,  be- 
cause of  their  Ameri- 
canized capitals. 
The  principal  hall, 

running  due  north  and  south,  is  91  feet  6  inches  in  length  by  34  feet  in  width. 
At  each  end  runs,  at  right  angles,  a  wing  90  feet  6  inches  in  length  by  29 
feet  6  inches  in  width.  All  three  have  the  same  height,  38  feet. 

The  walls,  alcoves,  stairways,  aisles  and  balconies  of  .these  rooms  were 
formerly  almost  a  solid  mass  of  books,  manuscripts,  newspapers,  periodicals 
and  prints.  Many  of  these  were  secured  to  the  Library  by  exchange,  gift  and 
purchase  under  a  small  annual  appropriation,  but  more  through  the  provision 
of  the  copyri'ght  law  which  compels  as  a  condition  of  its  fulfillment  the  de- 
positing of  two  copies  of  each  copyrighted  work  in  the  Library  of  Congress. 
Under  this  alone,  55,906  publications  of  various  kinds  were  added  during  the 
year  1896. 

This  wonderful  collection  of  books,  now  in  the  new  Library  building, 
took  its  rise  in  a  small  appropriation  of  $5,000,  made  April  24,  1800,  for 
fitting  up  a  room  with  books  for 'the  use  of  Congress.  The  joint  committee 
appointed  to  make  the  purchase  selected  for  the  Library  room  the  chamber 
in  the. old  north  wing  which  had  been  occupied  by  the  Representatives  during 
the  last  session  of  the  Sixth  Congress.  Inspired  with  unusual  governmental 
economy,  they  recommended  that  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  be  directed  to 
sell  the  trunks  in  which  the  books  had  been  imported.  John  Beckley  of 
Virginia  was  the  first  Librarian.  He  was  appointed  by  President  Jefferson 


The  National  Capitol  135 

January  26,  1802,  at  a  salary  "  not  to  exceed  $2  per  diem  for  every  day  of 
necessary  attendance."  In  the  following  April,  the  first  catalogue  of  the 
Library  was  issued.  It  credits  the  collection  in  an  old-fashioned  way  with 
7  duodecimos,  581  octavos,  164  quartos,  212  folios  and  9  maps. 

In  1814,  the  Library,  which  had  then  considerably  grown  in  proportions, 
was  destroyed  by  the  burning  of  the  Capitol  by  the  British;  an  ill  return  for 
the  purchase  in  IxDndon  of  a  majority  of  the  volumes.  The  soldiers  glee- 
fully used  the  books  as  fuel  with  which  to  ignite  the  building.  On  the  loth 
of  the  following  October,  the  loss  of  the  Library  being  sorely  felt,  Mr. 
Goldsborough,  chairman  of  the  Joint  Library  Committee  of  Congress,  brought 
to  the  attention  of  the  Senate  a  letter  from  ex-President  Jefferson,  written  at 
Monticello,  September  21,  1814,  in  which  he  said: 

"  I  learn  from  the  newspapers  that  the  vandalism  of  our  enemy  has  triumphed  at  Wash- 
ington, over  science  as  well  as  the  arts,  by  the  destruction  of  the  public  library,  with  the 
noble  edifice  in  which  it  was  deposited.  ...  I  presume  it  will  be  among  the  early 
objects  of  Congress  to  re-commence  their  collection.  This  will  be  difficult  while  the  war 
continues,  and  intercourse  with  Europe  is  attended  with  so  much  risk.  You  know  my 
collection,  its  condition  and  extent.  I  have  been  fifty  years  making  it,  and  have  spared  no 
pains,  opportunity  or  expense,  to  make  it  what  it  now  is.  While  residing  in  Paris,  I  devoted 
every  afternoon  I  was  disengaged,  for  a  Summer  or  two,  in  examining  all  the  principal  book- 
stores, turning  over  every  book  with  my  own  hands,  and  putting  by  everything  which  related 
to  America,  and,  indeed,  whatever  was  rare  and  valuable  in  every  science  ;  besides  this,  I 
had  standing  orders,  during  the  whole  time  I  was  in  Europe,  in  its  principal  book  marts, 
principally  Amsterdam,  Frankfort,  Madrid,  and  London,  for  such  works  relating  to  America 
as  could  not  be  found  in  Paris.  So  that  in  that  department,  particularly,  such  a  collection 
was  made  as  probably  can  never  again  be  effected  ;  because  it  is  hardly  probable  that  the 
same  opportunities,  the  same  time,  industry,  perseverance,  and  expense,  with  some  knowl- 
edge of  the  bibliography  of  the  subject  would  again  happen  to  be  in  concurrence.  During 
the  same  period,  and  after  my  return  to  America,  I  was  led  to  procure  also  whatever  related 
to  the  duties  of  those  in  the  highest  concerns  of  the  nation  ;  so  that  the  collection,  which  I 
suppose  is  of  between  nine  and  ten  thousand  volumes,  while  it  includes  what  is  chiefly  valu- 
able in  science  and  literature  generally,  extends  more  particularly  to  whatever  belongs  to  the 
American  statesmen  ;  in  the  diplomatic  and  parliamentary  branches,  it  is  particularly  full. 
It  is  long  since  I  have  been  sensible  it  ought  not  to  continue  private  property,  and  had  pro- 
vided that,  at  my  death,  Congress  should  have  the  refusal  of  it,  at  their  own  price  ;  but  the 
loss  they  have  now  incurred  makes  the  present  the  proper  moment  for  their  accommodation, 
without  regard  to  the  small  remnant  of  time  and  the  barren  use  of  my  enjoying  it.  I  ask  of 
your  friendship,  therefore,  to  make  for  me  the  tender  of  it  to  the  Library  Committee  of  Con- 
gress, not  knowing  myself  of  whom  the  Committee  consists.  ...  I  should  be  willing, 
indeed,  to  retain  a  few  of  the  books  to  amuse  the  time  I  have  yet  to  pass,  which  might' be 
valued  with  the  rest,  but  not  included  in  the  sum  of  valuation  until  they  should  be  restored 
at  my  death,  which  I  would  cheerfully  provide  for,  so  that  the  whole  library,  as  it  stands  in 
the  catalogue,  should  be  theirs,  without  any  garbling." 

The  Senate  passed  a  resolution  authorizing  the  Library  Committee  to  con- 
tract for  this  purchase;  but  when  the  resolution  reached  the  House,  it  occa- 


i36  The  National  Capitol 

sioned  considerable  debate.  The  objections  raised  were,  in  general,  the 
extent  of  the  library,  its  cost  and  the  nature  of  many  of  Jefferson's  selec- 
tions. The  narrowness  of  some  members  led  them  to  criticise  the  purchase 
on  the  ground  that  the  library  contained  a  few  books  of  a  skeptical  character, 
notably  the  works  of  Voltaire.  The  bias  of  one  Representative,  whose  high 
sense  of  morality  evidently  was  willing  to  sacrifice  the  everlasting  blessedness 
of  the  "sage  of  Monticello  "  for  the  good  of  Congressmen  in  general,  led 
him  to  "  move  to  re-commit  the  bill  to  a  select  committee,  with  instructions 
to  report  a  new  section  authorizing  the  Library  Committee,  as  soon  as  said 
library  shall  be  received  at  Washington,  to  select  therefrom  all  books  of  an 
atheistical,  irreligious,  and  immoral  tendency,  if  any  such  there  be,  and  send 
the  same  back  to  Mr.  Jefferson  without  any  expense  to  him  "  ;  but  this  motion 
the  gentleman  afterwards  thought  proper  to  withdraw.  On  January  26,  1815, 
the  final  question  was  decided  in  the  House  in  the  affirmative  by  a  vote  of  81 
to  71.  Webster,  for  some  reason,  spoke  and  voted  against  it;  Calhoun  voted 
for  it.  The  Jefferson  collection,  numbering  about  6,700  volumes,  was 
accordingly  purchased.  It  cost  $23,950,  and  forms  the  nucleus  of  the  pres- 
ent Library.  The  old  room  had  not  yet  been  restored,  however,  after  the  fire  • 
and  it  was  four  years  before  the  Joint  Library  Committee  was  authorized  to  fit 
up  and  furnish  suitable  accommodations,  again  in  the  north  wing,  and  to  move 
the  collection  into  the  Capitol. 

Writing  in  1842  of  the  Library  room  in  the  central  building,  Librarian 
Watterston  says  it  "  consists  of  twelve  alcoves,  supporting  two  galleries  run- 
ning along  the  whole  length  of  the  apartment  from  north  to  south,  and  con- 
taining the  same  number  of  recesses  as  alcoves  in  the  lower  room.  The 
arched  alcoves  are  ornamented  in  front  by  fluted  pilasters,  copied  from  the 
pillars  in  the  temple  of  Lysicrates  at  Athens.  Two  columns  of  freestone,  the 
capitals  like  those  of  the  pilasters,  support  the  gallery  near  the  main  entrance, 
and  two  corresponding  columns  stand  near  the  window  which  leads  into  the 
logged  or  western  colonnade,  extending  the  whole  length  of  the  apartment. 
Each  end  of  the  room,  as  well  as  the  ceiling,  is  richly  decorated  with  stucco 
ornaments  and  three  wells  or  sky  lights,  the  wells  of  which,  also  richly  orna- 
mented, admit  the  light  from  above.  A  large  room  on  the  south,  connected 
with  this  apartment,  contains  an  extensive  and  valuable  collection  of  law 
books  exclusively,  and  a  room  adjoining  it  is  used  by  the  Judiciary  commit- 
tee. The  library  room  was  designed  by  Mr.  C.  Bulfinch,  then  architect  of  the 
public  Buildings,  and  does  great  credit  to  his  taste. 

"  Several  presents  have  been  made  to  the  library  since  its  origin.  Among 
these  is  a  splendid  and  valuable  collection  of  medals,  designed  by  M.  Denon, 
and  executed  by  order  of  the  French  Government.  The  series  commences 
in  1796  and  ends  in  1815,  and  embraces  all  the  battles  and  events  which 
occurred  during  the  reign  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte.  These  are  beautifully 


The  National  Capitol  137 

executed,  and  arranged  with  a  small  collection  of  American  medals  in  Paris- 
ian bronze,  in  neat  cases  on  either  side  of  the  mantlepiece,  at  the  South  end 
of  the  room.  All  of  these  were  presented  by  Mr.  Irving,  the  brother,  it  is 
said,  of  George  W.  Irving,  who  obtained  them  while  in  Paris,  at  considerable 
difficulty,  and  at  a  cost  of  five  thousand  francs. 

"  An  original  likeness  of  Christopher  Columbus,  presented  by  Mr.  Barrell, 
American  consul  at  Madrid,*  and  found  by  him  in  an  old  castle  in  Spain,  is 
hung  up  on  the  south  end  of  the  room.  Marble  busts  of  Washington,  Jeffer- 
son, Lafayette,  Judge  Marshall,  John  Quincy  Adams,  Van  Buren,  and  plaster 
busts  of  Jackson  and  Moultrie,  and  a  medallion  of  Madison,  most  of  them 
standing  on  pedestals,  are  placed  in  different  parts  of  the  room." 

Another  fire,  on  December  24,  1851,  destroyed  over  three-fifths  of  the 
entire  Library,  which  at  that  time  numbered  about  55,000  volumes.  The 
Intelligencer  of  the  next  day  says  :  "  Besides  the  books,  a  number  of  superior 
'paintings,  hanging  around  the  Library  walls  and  between  the  alcoves,  were 
included  in  the  destruction.  Of  these  we  can  call  to  mind  Stuart's  paintings 
of  the  first  five  Presidents ;  an  original  portrait  of  Columbus;  a  second  por- 
trait of  Columbus ;  an  original  portrait  of  Peyton  Randolph ;  a  portrait  of 
Bolivar;  a  portrait  of  Baron  Steuben  by  Pyne,  an  English  artist  of  merit; 
one  of  Baron  De  Kalb  >  one  of  Cortez ;  one  of  Judge  Hanson,  of  Maryland, 
presented  to  the  Library  by  his  family.  Between  eleven  and  twelve  hundred 
bronze  medals  of  the  Vattemare  exchange,  some  of  them  more  than  ten  cen- 
turies old,  and  exceedingly  perfect,  are  amongst  the  valuables  destroyed.  Of 
the  statuary  burnt  and  rendered  worthless,  we  recollect  a  statue  of  Jefferson ; 
an  Apollo  in  bronze  by  Mills  ;  a  very  superior  bronze  likeness  of  Washington  ; 
a  bust  of  Gen.  Taylor  by  an  Italian  artist;  and  a  bust  of  Lafayette  by 
David."  The  year  following  this  second  conflagration,  a  lump  appropriation 
of  $75,000  was  made  to  replenish  the  collection.  In  1853,  according  to  plans 
of  Walter,  whom  Clark  assisted  in  the  execution,  the  room  was  remodeled 
and  rendered  as  fire-proof  as  possible,  with  iron  cases  and  iron  ceilings,  and 
the  books  replaced.  The  wings  were  later  added  from  space  previously 
devoted  to  committee  rooms. 

The  library  of  copyright  books,  formerly  kept  in  the  Patent  Office,  was 
removed  to  the  Capitol  in  1870,  when  the  Librarian  was  made  Registrar  of 
Copyrights.  Besides  the  recruiting  of  the  Library  in  this  way  and  by  the 
regular  appropriations  of  Congress,  which  have  lately  averaged  about  $11,000 
a  year,  the  most  extensive  additions  to  the  Library  have  been  the  45,000 
books,  mostly  scientific,  belonging  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution  ;  later  con- 
tributions from  the  same  institution,  which  it  had  received  by  means  of  ex- 
change from  scientific  men  and  societies  throughout  the  world ;  and  many 

*  G.  G.  Barrell  was  Consul  at  Malaga  from  1818  to  1838,  when  he  died. 


138  The  National  Capitol 

thousands  of  volumes,  principally  relating  to  American  history,  purchased 
from  Peter  Force  for  the  sum  of  $100,000.  Dr.  Joseph  M.  Toner,  of  Wash- 
ington City,  in  1882,  generously  contributed  his  private  library  also,  number- 
ing over  27,000  volumes,  and  nearly  as  many  pamphlets,  which,  especially  for 
its  rare  Washingtoniana,  is  considered  a  valuable  acquisition  to  the  govern- 
ment collection. 

The  growth  of  the  Congressional  Library  was  most  marked  during  the  reign 
of  Ainsworth  Rand  Spofford*  of  Cincinnati,  who  was  appointed  Librarian  in 
1864  by  President  Lincoln  after  a  service  of  three  years  as  assistant.  At 
the  time  of  its  removal,  it  was  supposed  to  number  in  the  neighborhood  of 
755,000  volumes,  besides  a  collection  of  many  thousands  of  pamphlets,  maps, 
photographs,  etchings  and  musiCj  making  it  the  sixth  library  in  size  in  the 
world.  The  Library  possesses,  besides,  a  rich  collection  of  engravings, 
illustrated  works  and  art  treasures;  and  its  files  of  bound  newspapers  and 
periodicals,  both  foreign  and  American,  are  a  mine  of  wealth  for  those  who 
desire  to  read  the  diary  of  the  world.  A  large  proportion  of  such  volumes 
were  necessarily  stored  in  the  crypt  and  adjacent  rooms  until  the  completion 
of  the  new  building,  when  the  temporary  storerooms,  which  much  disfigured 
the  crypt,  were  torn  away,  again  opening  to  view  its  forty  columns. 

While  primarily  for  the  use  of  Congress,  even  the  justices  of  the  Supreme 
Court  not  having  the  privilege  of  the  books  conferred  upon  them  until  1812, 
the  entire  collection  was,  previous  to  July,  1897,  as  it  is  now,  a  reference  library 
for  the  public  as  well.  Between  the  hours  of  nine  and  four,  daily  except 
Sunday,  and  until  the  hour  of  adjournment  during  the  session  of  either  branch 
of  Congress,  any  person  may  consult  the  books,  and,  in  some  instances,  take 
them  from  the  Library,  upon  making  a  reasonable  deposit  to  insure  their 
replacement  in  case  of  loss.  Such  deposit  is  not  required,  however,  from 
Senators  or  Representatives,  nor  from  about  thirty  other  officials  of  the  gov- 
ernment. 

The  necessity  for  a  new  building  for  the  Library  was  first  formally  sug- 
gested to  Congress  in  a  report  made  by  the  Librarian  in  1872.  For  fourteen 
years,  however,  nothing  definite  was  done  by  Congress,  though  Mr.  Spofford 
says  "various  schemes  for  continuing  the  Library  within  the  Capitol  were 
brought  forward.  One  was  to  extend  the  west  front  of  the  edifice  one  hun- 
dred feet,  to  hold  the  books  ;  another,  to  project  the  eastern  front  two  hundred 
and  fifty  feet,  thus  making  a  conglomerate  building  out  of  what  is  now  a 
purely  classic  edifice;  a  third,  and  more  preposterous  scheme,  was  to  accom- 
modate the  Library  growth  within  the  great  inner  concave  of  the  dome,  which 

*  The  list  of  Librarians,  not  above  mentioned,  with  the  dates  of  their  appointments,  is; 
as  follows  :  Patrick  Magruder,  1807  ;  George  Watterston,  1815  ;  John  S.  Meehan,  1829  * 
John  G.  Stephenson,  1861  ;  John  Russell  Young,  1897. 


The  National  Capitol  139 

was  to  be  literally  honeycombed  with  books  from  the  floor  of  the  rotunda  to 
the  apex :  a  plan  which  would  have  given  space  for  only  twelve  years'  growth 
of  the  Library,  besides  increasing  incalculably  all  rtie  difficulties  of  its 
administration.  Every  plan  for  enlarging  the  Capitol  would  have  provided 
for  less  than  thirty  years'  increase,  after  which  Congress  would  be  confronted 
with  the  same  problem  again,  and  forced  to  erect  a  new  building  after  all 
the  cost  (estimated  at  four  millions  of  dollars)  of  such  enlargement.  .At 
length  a  commission  of  architects  reported  against  disturbing  the  symmetry  of 
the  Capitol,  and  that  elusive  spectre  was  laid  to  rest.  ...  At  length  all 
differences  between  Senate  and  House  were  harmonized ;  the  act  for  a  separate 
building  received  over  two-thirds  majority  in  1886;  a  site  of  ten  acres  was 
purchased  on  a  plateau  near  the  Capitol  for  $585,000,  thus  providing  for  an 
ample  and  thoroughly  equipped  edifice,  with  ultimate  accommodations  for 
four  and  one-half  millions  of  volumes."  To-day,  after  the  lapse  of  twenty- 
five  years,  the  new  building,  the  most  palacious  edifice  in  the  world,  may  be 
called  completed,  and  there  the  books  and  works  of  art  have  found  a  per- 
manent home  where  they  all  can  be  enjoyed. 

From  the  west  portico  of  the  central  building,  which  is  accessible  through 
the  former  Library  hall,  an  extensive  view  may  be  had  of  the  growth  of  the 
city  westward,  of  the  chain  of  parkings  extending  to  the  monument  and  White 
House,  and  of  the  surrounding  hills  and  country.  This  view  should  not  be 
lost,  especially  by  those  who  have  not  the  strength  to  ascend  the  dome. 


SUPREME   COURT   CHAMBER 


To  the  north  of  the  rotunda  is  a  light- 
well,  evidently  modeled  after  some  Grecian 
temple.  Its  curious  "tobacco  capitals" 
were  designed  by  Latrobe  from  the  flowers 
and  leaves  of  the  native  plant.  To  the 
east  is  a  vestibule  from  which  is  accessible 
the  office  of  the  Marshal  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  United  States,  affording  a  side 
-  entrance  to  the  Court  room  itself. 

Court  Kooin. — Beyond  this,  and  on 
the  east  side  of  the  main  corridor  run- 
ning to  the  north  or  Senate  wing,  is  the 
door  to  the  Supreme  Court  chamber,  which, 
except  for  a  short  period,  was  occupied 
by  the  Senate  from  1800  until  1814,  and 
again,  after  the  restoration,  until  January 
4,  1859,  when  the  Senators  moved  into 
their  present  hall.  It  was  first  occupied 
by  the  Supreme  Court  in  December,  1860. 
This  semi-circular  chamber  is  75  feet 
in  length,  45  feet  in  width  and  the  same 

in  height.  The  small  gallery  to  the  east,  which  was  the  only  one  preserved 
after  the  removal  of  the  Senate,  is  supported  by  columns  of  dark,  variegated 
Potomac  marble,  whose  Ionic  capitals,  modeled  after  those  in  the  Temple 
of  Minerva,  are  chiseled  from  Italian  blocks.  It  was  Latrobe's  design 
"  moreover,"  says  Watterston,  "  to  support  one  of  the  galleries  of  the  Senate 
chamber  with  emblematic  figures  of  the  old  Thirteen  States,  decorated  with 
their  peculiar  insignia,  and  the  models  were  actually  prepared  by  one  of  the 
Italian  artists  whom  he  had  engaged  to  come  to  this  country;  but  a  neglect 
or  refusal  on  the  part  of  Congress  to  make  the  necessary  appropriations 
defeated  his  designs,  and  the  plaster  models  were  afterwards  thrown  aside 
and  destroyed." 

Beneath  the  gallery  are  four  mantles.  The  two  in  the  center,  which  are  of 
white  marble,  are  carved  in  bas-relief.  They  are  designed  to  illustrate  the 
idea  that  in  union  there  is  strength.  On  the  one  mantle,  Hercules  tries  in 


The  National  Capitol  141 

vain  to  break  a  bundle  of  fasces  bound  in  bonds  of  harmony;  on  the  other, 
laughing  children  snap  in  twain  the  single  rods  unbound.  In  cold  weather, 
logs  burn  brightly  in  the  fire-places  to  the  north  and  south.  Behind  the  dark 
red  draperies,  during  each  session,  the  justices,  one  at  a  time,  are  served  with 
a  light  repast.  They  sit  upon  the  bench  before  the  Ionic  pillars.  Lord 
Chief  Justice  Coleridge  of  England,  who  visited  this  country  in  1883,  is  the 
only  person  remembered  to  have  been  honored  with  the  courtesy  of  a  seat 
with  the  Court.  Mr.  Justice  Miller,  the  senior  associate  justice,  vacated  his 
chair  in  favor  of  the  learned  visitor. 

The  ceremony  of  opening  the  Court  is  impressive  from  its  very  simplicity. 
As  the  justices  enter,  the  crier  announces  :  "  The  Honorable  the  Chief  Justice 
and  the  associate  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States."  The 
attending  lawyers  and  spectators  respectfully  stand  until  the  Court  is  seated, 
when  the  crier  continues  :  "  Oyez,  oyez,  oyez  !  All  persons  having  business 
before  the  Honorable  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  are  admonished 
to  draw  near  and  give  their  attention;  for  the  Court  is  now  sitting.  God 
save  the  United  States  and  this  Honorable  Court."  An  adjournment  of  this 
august  tribunal  is  announced  in  these  words  :  "  This  Honorable  Court  is  now 
adjourned  until  to-morrow  at  twelve  o'clock." 

The  space  within  the  semi-circular  railing  is  reserved  for  members  of  the 
bar  of  the  Supreme  Court ;  the  table  in  the  center  for  the  attorney  who  is 
addressing  the  Court.  Any  lawyer,  after  three  years  of  practice  in  the  highest 
court  of  his  State,  may  be  admitted  upon  motion.  Visitors  sit  upon  the  cush- 
ioned benches  between  the  railing  and  the  wall. 

The  Court. — The  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  is  the  only  court 
established  directly  by  the  Constitution.  The  justices,  as  we  commonly  say, 
are  appointed  for  life  or,  in  the  more  exact  words  of  that  great  instrument, 
"hold  their  offices  during  good  behaviour."  They  are  nominated  by  the 
President,  and  appointed  by  him  upon  the  confirmation  of  the  Senate.  The 
Supreme  Court  was  organized  in  September,  1789.  Of  the  108  years  of  its 
existence,  John  Marshall  and  Roger  B.  Taney  served,  as  Chief  Justices,  a 
combined  period  of  over  64  years,  or  nearly  two-thirds  of  the  life  of  the  Court. 

The  first  Chief  Justice  resigned  in  1794  to  become  Envoy  Extraordinary 
to  England,  and  six  years  later,  when  Governor  of  New  York,  declined  a  re- 
appointment  after  confirmation,  because  he  was  "  not  perfectly  convinced  that 
under  a  system  so  defective  it  would  obtain  the  energy,  weight  and  dignity 
which  were  essential  to  its  affording  due  support  to  the  National  Government, 
nor  acquire  the  public  confidence  and  respect  which,  as  the  last  resort  of  the 
justice  of  the  nation,  it  should  possess."  To  more  fully  understand  how  little 
attractive,  in  the  eyes  of  the  fathers  of  the  nation,  was  a  seat  in  this  highest 
court  of  the  judicial  branch  of  the  government,  we  have  but  to  remember 
also  that,  prior  to  1800,  William  Gushing,  an  associate  justice,  declined  an 


142  The  National  Capitol 

appointment  as  Chief  Justice ;  that  Oliver  Ellsworth  resigned  as  Chief  Justice 
to  proceed  as  Minister  to  France ;  and  that  John  Rutledge,  John  Blair,  Robert 
H.  Harrison,  Thomas  Johnson  and  Alfred  Moore  all  resigned  as  associate 
justices — two,  Rutledge  and  Harrison,  to  become  Chief  Justices  of  their  re- 
spective States  of  South  Carolina  and  Maryland. 

The  last  sitting  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  Philadelphia  was  on  Friday, 
August  15,  1800.  The  next  entry  in  the  records  of  the  Court  is  :  "  At  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  holden  in  the  City  of  Washington  (the 
same  being  the  seat  of  the  national  Government)  on  the  first  Monday  being 
the  zd  day  of  February,  A.D.  1801,  and  of  our  Independence  the  twenty- 
fifth."  William  Gushing  was  the  only  justice  present  and  adjourned  to  the 
morrow ;  and  then  again  to  the  4th.  On  that  day  Samuel  Chase  and  Bushrod 
Washington  appeared,  and  John  Marshall  was  present  to  qualify  as  Chief 
Justice  and  take  his  seat. 

The  Court  now  consists  of  a  Chief  Justice  and  eight  associate  justices. 
The  associate  justices  receive  an  annual  salary  each  of  $10,000,  and  the  Chief 
Justice  of  $10,500.  The  associate  justice  who  has  been  longest  in  service 
upon  this  bench  sits  upon  the  Chief  Justice's  right,  the  next  in  seniority  upon 
his  left,  and  the  others  alternate  in  like  manner.  The  present  members  of  the 
Court  are  : 

Chief  Justice 
McKenna   White   Brown    Harlan     Fuller    Brewer    Shiras    Peckham    Holmes 

Each  of  the  justices  is  robed  in  a  black  silk  gown.  There  is  some  author- 
ity to  show,  however,  that,  at  the  earlier  sittings  of  the  Court,  a  tri-colored 
scarf,  probably  occasioned  by  the  French  craze,  was  sometimes  worn ;  and  in, 
the  picture  of  John  Jay  on  the  walls  of  the  robing  room,  the  gown  itself  has 
a  border  of  brick-red,  the  sleeves  being  almost  entirely  of  that  color. 

Benjamin  Harrison  thus  comments  upon  the  custom  of  the  Court  in  wear- 
ing gowns  :  "  When  the  constitutional  organization  of  the  Court  had  been 
settled  and  the  high  duty  of  selecting  the  Justices  had  been  performed  by 
Washington,  the  smaller,  but  not  wholly  unimportant,  question  of  a  court 
dress  loomed  up,  and  much  agitated  and  divided  the  minds  of  our  public 
men.  Shall  the  Justices  wear  gowns  ?  And  if  yea,  the  gown  of  the  scholar, 
of  the  Roman  Senator,  or  of  the  priest  ?  Shall  they  wear  the  wig  of  the 
English  Judges  ?  Jefferson  and  Hamilton,  who  had  differed  so  widely  in  theii 
views  as  to  the  frame  of  the  Constitution,  were  again  in  opposition  upon  these 
questions  relating  to  millinery  and  hair-dressing.  Jefferson  was  against  any 
needless  official  apparel,  but  if  the  gown  was  to  carry  he  said  :  '  For  Heaven's 
sake  discard  the  monstrous  wig  which  makes  the  English  Judges  look  like  rats 
peeping  through  bunches  of  oakum.'  Hamilton  was  for  the  English  wig  with 
the  English  gown.  Burr  was  for  the  English  gown,  but  against  the  '  inverted 


The  National  Capitol  143 

wool-sack  termed  a  wig.'  The  English  gown  was  taken  and  the  wig  left,  and 
I  am  sure  that  the  flowing  black  silk  gown  still  worn  by  the  Justices  helps  to 
preserve  in  the  court  room  that  dignity  and  sense  of  solemnity  which  should 
always  characterize  the  place  of  judgment." 

Marble    Busts. — On   the   brackets   about   the   semi-circular   walls   are 
arranged  busts  of  the  former  Chief  Justices.      To  the  left,  upon  entering  the 


SUPREME   COURT   CHAMBER 


chamber,  are  those  of  John  Jay,  the  first  Chief  Justice,  by  John  Frazee ;  Oliver 
Ellsworth,  the  third,  by  Auger;  Roger  B.  Taney,  the  fifth,  by  Rinehart ;  and 
Morrison  VV.  Waite,  the  seventh,  by  St.  Gaudens.  To  the  right  aYe  simi- 
larly placed  those  of  John  Rutledge,  the  second;  John  Marshall,  the  fourth; 
and  Salmon  P.  Chase,  the  sixth. 

When  first  the  question  of  so  honoring  Chief  Justice  Taney  came  before 
the  Senate,  the  aversion  to  the  author  of  the  Dred  Scott  decision  was  still 
intense.  An  anti-slavery  feeling — to  which,  no  doubt,  is  due  the  fact  that  no 
appropriate  funeral  ceremonies  were  held  in  the  Capitol  at  his  death — is 
apparent  in  the  debates.  Mr.  Sumner,  in  antagonizing  the  purchase  of  the 
marble  bust,  bitterly  asserted  that  "  Taney  would  be  hooted  down  the  pages 
of  history,  and  that  an  emancipated  country  would  fix  upon  his  name  the 


144  The  National  Capitol 

stigma  it  deserved.  He  had  administered  justice  wickedly,  had  degraded  the 
Judiciary,  and  had  degraded  the  age."  Mr.  Reverdy  Johnson  defended  the 
Chief  Justice's  memory,  replying  tartly:  "The  Senator  from  Massachusetts 
will  be  happy  if  his  name  shall  stand  as  high  upon  the  historic  page  as  that 
of  the  learned  Judge  who  is  now  no  more."  Mr.  Sumne'r  had  the  last  word. 
He  said  that  in  listening  to  the  Maryland  Senator  he  was  "  reminded  of  a 
character,  known  to  the  Roman  church,  who  always  figured  at  the  canoniza- 
tion of  a  Saint  as  the  Devil's  advocate"  ;  and,  carrying  out  the  figure,  he 
added,  that  if  it  was  in  his  power,  "  Taney  should  never  be  recognized  as  a 
Saint  by  any  vote  of  Congress."  On  February  23,  1865,  the  bill  was  aban- 
doned by  its  advocates  as  hopeless.  On  January  29,  1874,  however,  a  bill 
passed  the  Senate  without  debate  providing  for  the  purchase  of  the  bust  of  the 
Chief  Justice,  and  at  the  same  time  of  one  of  Chase.  This  occurred  about 
a  month  before  the  death  of  Mr.  Sumner.  Can  it  be  that  his  bitterness  had 
perished?  It  would  seem  so;  for,  on  December  2,  1872,  he  had  proposed 
"  that  the  names  of  battles  with  fellow-citizens,  shall  not  be  continued  in 
the  army  register  or  placed  on  the  regimental  colors  of  the  United  States," 
and  in  the  preamble  to  the  bill  had  stated :  "  It  is  contrary  to  the  usage  of 
civilized  nations  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  civil  war." 

Important  Cases. — Perhaps  of  the  cases  coming  before  the  Supreme 
Court  since  it  first  sat  within  these  walls  those  which  have  attracted  the 
most  popular  interest  are  the  series  known  as  the  Income  Tax  Cases,  argued  in 
March,  1895,  by  Richard  Olney,  then  Attorney  General,  and  associate  coun- 
sel on  behalf  of  the  government,  and  by  Joseph  H.  Choate  and  others  on 
behalf  of  certain  New  York  corporations.  The  Court,  by  a  vote  of  five  to 
four,  finally  pronounced  the  law  of  Congress,  framed  for  the  purpose  of  col- 
lecting the  income  tax,  unconstitutional. 

Notable  Events. — This  Court  room  is  one  of  the  most  historic  rooms 
in  the  Capitol.  Here,  before  its  restoration,  Thomas  Jefferson,  the  first  Presi- 
dent to  be  inaugurated  at  the  Capitol,  delivered  his  address  and  took  the 
oath  of  office  in  the  presence  of  Chief  Justice  Marshall.  John  Adams  had 
rudely  left  the  city  before  the  ceremonies.  He  had,  however,  convened  the 
Senate  by  proclamation,  and  it  met  at  ten  o'clock  A.M.,  when  Mr.  Hillhouse 
administered  the  oath  to  the  Vice-President-elect,  and  he  to  the  new  Sena- 
tors. The  President-elect  entered  the  chamber  accompanied  by  the  Heads 
of  Departments,  the  Marshal  of  the  District,  officers  and  other  gentlemen,  and 
took  the  seat  usually  occupied  by  the  Vice-President.  The  latter  sat  upon  his 
right;  the  Chief  Justice  upon  his  left.  This  inauguration  is  interesting  in 
spite  of  the  fact  that  the  romantic  story  of  the  democratic  way  in  which 
Jefferson  rode  to  the  Capitol  alone,  tied  his  horse  to  the  paling,  took  the  oath 
of  office  and  rode  away,  has  been  proven  to  be  a  fabrication.  In  a  dispatch 
to  Grenville,  Foreign  Secretary  in  Pitt's  administration,  Fdward  Thornton, 


The  National  Capitol  145 

who  was  in  charge  of  the  British  Legation  at  Washington,  reports  officially 
that  Jefferson  "  came  from  his  own  lodgings  to  the  house  where  Congress  con- 
venes, and  which  goes  by  the  name  of  the  Capitol,  on  foot,  in  his  ordinary 
dress,  escorted  by  a  body  of  militia  artillery  from  the  neighboring  State,  and 
accompanied  by  the  Secretaries  of  the  Navy  and  the  Treasury,  and  a  number 
of  his  political  friends  in  the  House  of  Representatives." 

Henry  Adams,  to  whose  historical  research  we  owe  this  authority,  says  that 
"  Jefferson  was  then  living  as  Vice-President  at  Conrad's  boarding-house, 
within  a  stone's  throw  of  the  Capitol.  He  did  not  mount  his  horse  only  to 
ride  across  the  square  and  dismount  in  a  crowd  of  observers.  Only  the  North 
wing  of  the  Capitol  had  then  been  so  far  completed  as  to  be  occupied  by  the 
Senate,  the  Courts  and  the  small  library  of  Congress.  The  centre  rose  not 
much  above  its  foundations ;  and  the  South  wing,  some  twenty  feet  in  height, 
contained  a  temporary  oval  brick  building,  commonly  called  the  '  Oven,'  in 
which  the  House  of  Representatives  *  sat  in  some  peril  of  their  lives,  for  had 
not  the  walls  been  strongly  shored  up  from  without,  the  structure  would  have 
crumbled  to  pieces.  Into  the  north  wing  the  new  President  went,  accompa- 
nied by  the  only  remaining  Secretaries,  Dexter  and  Stoddert,  and  by  his  friends 
from  the  House.  Received  by  Vice-President  Burr  and  Marshall,  after  a  short 
pause,  Jefferson  rose,  and  in  a  somewhat  inaudible  voice  began  his  Inaugural 
address." 

In  the  same  chamber,  at  twelve  o'clock  on  March  4,  1805,  Congress  having 
adjourned  the  day  before,  Jefferson  delivered  his  second  inaugural  and  was 
again  sworn  into  office  by  Marshall,  in  the  presence  of  both  Houses  and  a 
concourse  of  citizens.  The  Chief  Justice  administered  the  oath  of  office  to 
George  Clinton,  also,  who  had  been  elected  to  succeed  Burr  as  Vice-President. 

Here,  in  October,  1803,  the  Senate  confirmed  the  treaty  with  Napoleon 
the  First,  by  which  we  acquired  the  vast  area  of  territory  known  as  the  "  Louisi- 
ana Purchase."  In  the  same  month,  Congress  submitted  to  the  Legislatures  of 
the  several  States  for  ratification  the  Twelfth  Amendment  of  the  Constitution. 
The  Senate  occupied  this  chamber  when  war  was  declared  for  the  second  time 
with  Great  Britain,  and  later,  with  Mexico.  Here  the  Senate  sat  when,  on 
December  2,  1823,  President  Monroe  sent  to  Congress  the  "  Monroe  Doc- 
trine "  :  "  We  owe  it,  therefore,  to  candor,  and  to  the  amicable  relations  exist- 
ing between  the  United  States  and  those  powers,  to  declare,  that  we  should 
consider  any  attempt  on  their  part  to  extend  their  system  to  any  portion 
of  this  hemisphere  as  dangerous  to  our  peace  and  safety."  Here,  in 
1830,  occurred  the  famous  debate  between  Webster  of  Massachusetts  and 
Hayne  of  South  Carolina,  when  the  great  speech  of  the  Southern  advocate 
lost  much  of  its  brilliant  effect  by  being  overshadowed  by  a  greater.  It  was 

*  The  House  did  not  occupy  "the  oven"  until  the  First  Session  of  the  Seventh 
Congress. 

10 


146  The  National  Capitol 

in  the  course  of  this  debate  that  Webster  uttered  the  immortal  words : 
"  Liberty  and  Union,  now  and  forever,  one  and  inseparable."  It  is  so  unusual 
as  to  be  worthy  of  mention  that  here  the  Senate,  on  December  n,  1832, 
elected  a  Catholic,  Rev.  Charles  Constantine  Pise,  as  its  Chaplain. 

Since  the  chamber  has  been  the  home  of  the  Supreme  Court,  for  many  days 
in  February,  1877,  following  the  approval  on  January  2pth  of  "  An  act  to 
provide  for  and  regulate  the  counting  of  votes  for  President  and  Vice-Presi- 
dent, and  the  decisions  of  questions  arising  thereon,  for  the  term  commenc- 
ing March  4,  A.D.  1877,"  the  Electoral  Commission  occupied  the  bench. 
These  walls,  therefore,  virtually  first  heard  the  announcement  of  the  election 
of  Hayes  as  President.  On  this  occasion  the  small  gallery  was  opened  for 
the  only  time  since  the  departure  of  the  Senate.  Jury  trials  have  occurred  in 
several  instances  in  the  Supreme  Court,  and,  no  doubt,  will  occur  again  in 
cases  of  original  jurisdiction,  a  fact  interesting  and  not  often  noted. 

Impeachments  of  Pickering  and  Chase. — The  new  Republic  was 
not  many  years  of  age  before  the  House  exercised  the  right  of  impeachment 
for  high  crimes  and  misdemeanors,  given  it  by  the  Constitution.  In  1803  it 
preferred  articles  against  John  Pickering;  and  he  was  tried  in  the  old  Senate 
Chamber  in  the  next  year.  The  question,  "  Is  the  Court  of  opinion  that  John 
Pickering  be  removed  from  the  office  of  judge  of  the  district  court  of  the  dis- 
trict of  New  Hampshire  ?  "  was  submitted  to  the  Senate,  sitting  as  the  court, 
on  March  i2th,  and  decided  in  the  affirmative  by  a  vote  of  20  to  6. 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1804,  Mr.  J.  Randolph,  by  a  speech  in  the  House 
of  Representatives,  initiated  the  proceedings  which  led  to  the  impeachment 
and  trial  of  Samuel  Chase,  one  of  the  associate  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  United  States.  Eight  articles  of  impeachment  were  found  by  the  House, 
and  seven  managers  selected  to  conduct  the  trial  on  its  behalf.  The  grounds 
of  the  impeachment  were  that  Samuel  Chase  had  been  irregular,  arbitrary 
and  prejudicial  in  the  conduct  of  certain  trials  presided  over  by  him  while  on 
circuit.  The  first  of  these  was  the  trial  of  John  Fries,  charged  with  treason, 
held  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  during  the  months  of  April  and  May,  1800, 
whereat  "  Samuel  Chase  .  .  .  did  in  his  judicial  capacity,  conduct  him- 
self in  a  manner  highly  arbitrary,  oppressive  and  unjust."  The  next  was  the 
trial  in  Richmond,  in  May  of  the  same  year,  of  James  Thompson  Callender, 
arraigned  for  libel  upon  John  Adams,  then  President  of  the  United  States.  It 
was  charged  also  that,  in  the  trial  of  a  case  at  Newcastle,  Delaware,  Chase 
had  descended  from  the  dignity  of  a  judge,  refused  to  discharge  the  grand 
jury  and  stooped  to  the  level  of  an  informer ;  and  that,  in  a  trial  held  at  Bal- 
timore in  May,  1803,  he  had  perverted  his  official  right  and  duty  by  addressing 
the  grand  jury  in  an  intemperate  and  inflammatory  political  harangue  with 
intent  to  incite  their  fears  and  resentment,  and  those  of  the  good  people  of 
Maryland,  against  their  State  government  and  constitution. 


The  National  Capitol  147 

Before  the  day  assigned  for  receiving  the  answer  of  Chase,  this  chamber, 
says  the  report  of  the  trial,  "  was  fitted  up  in  a  style  of  appropriate  ele- 
gance. Benches,  covered  with  crimson,  on  each  side,  and  in  a  line  with  the 
chair  of  the  President,  were  assigned  to  the  members  of  the  Senate.  On  the 
right  and  in  front  of  the  chair,  a  box  was  assigned  to  the  managers,  and,  on 
the  left,  a  similar  box  to  Mr.  Chase,  and  his  counsel,  and  chairs  allotted  to 
such  friends  as  he  might  introduce.  The  residue  of  the  floor  was  occupied 
with  chairs  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Members  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives;  and  with  boxes  for  the  reception  of  the  foreign  Ministers,  and 
civil  and  military  officers  of  the  United  States.  On  the  right  and  left  of  the 
chair,  at  the  termination  of  the  benches  of  the  members  of  the  court,  boxes 
were  assigned  to  stenographers,  the  permanent  gallery  was  allotted  to  the 
indiscriminate  admission  of  spectators.  Below  this  gallery,  and  above  the 
floor  of  the  House,  a  new  gallery  was  raised,  and  fitted  up  with  peculiar  ele- 
gance, intended,  primarily,  for  the  exclusive  accommodation  of  ladies.  But 
this  feature  of  the  arrangement  made  by  the  Vice-President,  was  at  an  early 
period  of  the  trial  abandoned,  it  having  been  found  impracticable  to  sepa- 
rate the  sexes  !  At  the  termination  of  this  gallery,  on  each  side,  boxes  were 
specially  assigned  to  ladies  attached  to  the  families  of  public  characters. 
The  preservation  of  order  was  devolved  on  the  Marshal  of  the  District  of 
Columbia,  who  was  assisted  by  a  number  of  Deputies." 

The  trial  began  on  Monday,  February  4,  1805.  About  a  quarter  before 
ten  o'clock,  the  court  was  opened  by  proclamation — all  the  members  of  the 
Senate,  thirty-four,  attending.  "  The  Senate  Chamber,  which  is  very  exten- 
sive, was  soon  filled  with  spectators,  a  large  portion  of  whom  consisted  of 
ladies  who  continued  with  little  intermission  to  attend  during  the  whole 
course  of  the  trial.  Samuel  Chase  being  called  to  make  answer  to  the  articles 
of  impeachment  .  .  .  appeared  attended  by  Messrs.  Harper,  Martin 
and  Hopkinson,  his  counsel ;  to  whom  seats  were  assigned."  The  trial  did 
not  end  until  Friday,  March  ist,  when  Aaron  Burr,  Vice-President  during  Jef- 
ferson's first  administration,  arose  and  said  :  "  It  appears  that  there  is  not  a 
constitutional  majority  of  votes  finding  Samuel  Chase,  Esquire,  guilty,  on  any 
one  Article.  It  therefore,  becomes  my  duty  to  declare  that  Samuel  Chase, 
Inquire,  stands  acquitted  of  all  the  articles  exhibited  by  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives against  him."  It  is  a  curious  coincidence  that  Burr,  who  presided 
over  the  impeachment  court,  was  himself  not  long  after  tried  for  treason,  and 
acquitted,  before  John  Marshall,  who  had  sat  with  Chase  upon  the  bench,  and 
who,  like  Burr,  was  disliked  and  distrusted  by  Jefferson. 

Quarrel  between  Beiitou  and  Foote. — A  scene  occurred  in  this  old 
Senate  Chamber  on  April  17,  1850,  which  created  much  excitement  at  the 
time.  Senators  Benton  and  Foote  had  already  had  several  sharp  personal 
altercations  in  debate.  On  this  occasion,  while  Mr.  Foote  was  replying  to  Mr. 


J48  The  National  Capitol 

Benton,  the  latter  started  from  his  seat  and  approached  his  opponent,  who  also 
advanced  and  took  a  stand  in  front  of  the  Secretary's  table,  at  the  same  time 
drawing  and  cocking  a  revolver.  The  confusion  was  very  great.  Senators 
immediately  surrounded  the  combatants,  drawing  Mr.  Benton  back  to  his  seat 
and  inducing  Mr.  Foote  to  surrender  his  weapon.  The  committee  to  whom 
the  matter  was  referred  reported,  July  3oth,  that  the  whole  scene  was  most  dis- 
creditable to  the  Senate ;  that  Mr.  Foote  had  provoked  Mr.  Benton  by  bitter 
personal  attacks  ;  that  Mr.  Benton  probably  intended  either  to  make  a  personal 
assault  on  Mr.  Foote  or  to  intimidate  him ;  and  that,  while  Mr.  Foote  had  no 
intention  of  assaulting  Mr.  Benton,  there  had  been  imminent  danger  of  blood- 
shed. The  committee,  however,  recommended  no  action,  expressing  only 
the  hope  that  its  condemnation  of  the  occurrence  would  be  "  a  sufficient 
rebuke  and  a  warning  not  unheeded  in  future." 

Farewells  of  Calhoun,  Clay,  Webster. — Within  these  walls,  the  cur- 
tain fell  for  the  last  time  on  the  parliamentary  careers  of  the  three  most 
notable  actors  yet  on  the  stage  of  American  statesmanship — Calhoun,  Clay, 
Webster.  A  frequent  visitor  to  the  Capitol  during  Jackson's  administra- 
tions, S.  G.  Goodrich,  writes  :  "  It  was  a  marked  epoch,  for  Webster,  Cal- 
houn, and  Clay  were  then  in  the  Senate.  It  is  seldom  that  three  such  men 
appear  upon  the  theatre  of  action  at  the  same  time.  They  were  each  distinct 
from  the  other  in  person,  manners,  heart,  constitution.  .  .  .  They  were 
all  of  remarkable  personal  appearance  :  Webster  of  massive  form,  dark  com- 
plexion, and  thoughtful,  solemn  countenance;  Clay,  tall,  of  rather  slight 
frame,  but  keen,  flexible  features,  and  singular  ease  and  freedom  in  his  atti- 
tudes, his  walk,  and  his  gestures.  Calhoun  was  also  tall,  but  erect,  and  rigid 
in  his  form — his  eye  grayish  blue,  and  flashing  from  beneath  a  brow  at  once 
imperious  and  scornful.  Mr.  Webster's  works  abound  in  passages  which  con- 
vey beautiful  sentiments  in  beautiful  language — gems  of  thought  set  in  golden 
sentences,  fitting  them  to  become  the  adornments  of  gifted  and  tasteful  minds, 
for  all  future  time.  With  these  other  orators  it  is  not  so  :  there  is  an  earnest, 
direct,  vigorous  logic  in  Calhoun,  which,  however,  can  spare  not  a  sentence  to 
any  subsidiary  thought ;  there  is  a  warm,  glowing,  hearty  current  of  persuasion 
in  Clay,  yet  he  is  too  ardent  in  the  pursuit  of  his  main  design,  to  pause  for  a 
moment  to  gather  or  scatter  flowers  by  the  wayside." 

The  South  Carolinian -was  the  first  to  retire.  "  Mr.  Calhoun  died,"  writes 
S.  S.  Cox,  "  on  the  last  day  of  March,  1850,  almost  in  the  forum.  The  last 
words  of  his  last  speech  in  the  Senate,  uttered  in  the  early  part  of  that  month, 
were  these  :  '  Having  faithfully  done  my  duty  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  both 
to  the  Union  and  my  section,  throughout  this  agitation,  I  shall  have  the  con- 
solation, let  what  will  come,  that  I  am  free  from  all  responsibility.'  Two 
friends  then  led  him  out  of  the  Senate  Chamber,  and  his  seat  was  vacant." 

On  the  announcement  of  Calhoun's  death  to  the  Senate  by  his  colleague, 


The  National  Capitol 


149 


Judge  Butler,  Webster  pronounced  upon  him  an  eulogium  beautiful  in  its 
thought  and  utter  forgetfulness  of  the  past :  "  Sir,  I  have  not  in  public  or  in 
private-life  known  a  more  assiduous  person  in  the  discharge  of  his  appropi late 
duties.  We  shall  delight  to  speak  of  him  to  those  who  are  rising  up  to  fill  our 
places.  And,  when  the  time  shall  come  that  we  ourselves  shall  go,  one  after 


HHNRY    CLAY  S    FAREWELL 
From  the  original  by  P.  F  Rotkermel 

another,  to  our  graves,  we  shall  carry  with  us  a  deep  sense  of  his  genius  and 
character,  his  honor  and  integrity,  his  amiable  deportment  in  private  life,  and 
the  purity  of  his  exalted  patriotism." 

Clay,  strangely  enough,  delivered  two  farewells  to  the  Senate.  The  first 
was  the  more  effective ;  for  an  audience  properly  keyed  is  as  necessary  to  true 
dramatic  effect  as  the  genius  of  the  actor.  It  was  the  3151  day  of  March, 
1842  ;  the  Kentucky  Senator,  the  observed  of  all  observers,  arose  in  his  place 
supposedly  at  the  climax  of  a  great  career;  and  his  listeners  were  breathless 


J5°  The  National  Capitol 

in  anticipation.  He  was  the  picture  of  Southern  gallantry — tall,  erect,  grace- 
ful, bold — with  an  eye  that  commands,  a  voice  that  attracts  and  a  spirit  that, 
proud  in  its  own  strength,  holds  itself  dear !  The  orator  feelingly  recalled 
his  early  struggles  with  poverty  and  privation,  his  later  detractions,  friend- 
ships and  triumphs.  His  reference  to  his  adopted  State  wrung  tears  even 
from  his  antagonists  :  "  I  migrated  to  the  State  of  Kentucky  nearly  forty-five 
years  ago,"  said  he.  "  I  went  there  an  orphan  who  had  not  yet  attained  his 
majority,  who  had  never  recognized  a  father's  smile  or  felt  his  caresses — poor, 
penniless,  without  the  favor  of  the  great,  with  an  imperfect  and  inadequate 
education,  limited  to  the  means  applicable  to  such  a  boy;  but  scarcely  had  I 
stepped  foot  upon  that  generous  soil  before  I  was  caressed  with  parental  fond- 
ness, patronized  with  bountiful  munificence,  and  I  may  add  to  this  that  the 
choicest  honors,  often  unsolicited,  have  been  showered  upon  me ;  and  when 
I  stood,  as  it  were,  in  the  darkest  moments  of  human  existence — abandoned 
by  the  world,  calumniated  by  a  large  portion  of  my  own  countrymen,  she 
(  threw  around  me  her  impenetrable  shield,  and  bore  me  aloft  in  her  courageous 
;  arms  and  repelled  the  poisoned  shafts  of  malignity  and  calumny  aimed  for 
my  destruction,  and  vindicated  my  good  name  from  every  false  and  unfounded 
assault." 

The  very  desks  were  listening.  The  scene  was  more  impressive  than  one 
.from  Shakespere's  plays;  for  it  was  history,  not  drama!  No  mimicry,  no 
masks,  no  tinsel,  no  curtains,  no  wings  !  Theater,  dress,  characters,  emotions 
— all  real,  terribly  real  !  Can  we  wonder  then  that  all  eyes  were  riveted  upon 
the  "Great  Commoner"?  Nay,  even  to-day,  at  the  mention  of  his  name, 
gray-beards  give  a  nod  and  knowing  look  to  presumptuous  Youth,  as  if  to 
say  :  "  Sir,  he  belongs  to  our  generation;  you  must  not  hope  to  produce  his 
counterpart." 

We  can  imagine  only  what  must  have  been  the  scene  as  Henry  Clay  spoke 
his  farewell  lines  :  "  May  the  blessing  of  Heaven  rest  upon  the  whole  Senate 
and  each  member  of  it,  and  may  the  labors  of  everyone  redound  to  the 
benefit  of  the  nation  and  the  advancement  of  his  own  fame  and  renown. 
And  when  you  shall  retire  to  the  bosom  of  your  constituents  may  you  meet 
with  that  most  cheering  and  gratifying  of  all  human  rewards — their  cordial 
'  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant.'  And  now,  Messrs.  President  and 
Senators,  I  bid  you  all  a  long,  a  last  and  a  friendly  farewell." 

Defeated  for  the  third  time  for  the  Presidency,  Clay's  friends  again 
induced  him  to  don  the  robes  of  Senator.  The  Thirty-first  Congress  was  to 
expire  March  4,  1851.  Before  its  end,  the  "  Great  Pacificator  "  was  extremely 
anxious  to  force  the  passage  of  the  River  and  Harbor  bill,  which  had  an 
undoubted  majority  in  each  House  if  a  vote  could  be  reached.  There  were 
Senators,  however,  who  were  determined  to  defeat  the  measure  by  proposing 
amendments  and  by  "  speaking  against  time  when  there  is  so  little  time  left." 


The  National  Capitol  '5» 

On  the  ist  and  3d,  Clay  championed  his  cause  in  vigorous  and  subtle  appeals, 
but  in  -vain.  These,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  remarks  upon  the  session 
called  for  executive  business,  were  his  last  parliamentary  utterances. 

Webster  left  the  Senate  two  years  before  his  death  to  become  Secretary 
of  State  under  Fillmore.  On  July  17,  1850,  he  made  his  final  effort  in  that 
forum  to  prove  the  need  of  a  disposition  of  the  "Compromise  Measures." 
His  opening  words  were  a  graceful  tribute  to  the  memory  of  the  late  Presi- 
dent, General  Taylor.  His  last  were  a  fitting  farewell  to  the  Senate,  and  to 
his  own  grand  service  there  :  "  No  man  can  suffer  too  much  and  no  man  can 
fall  too  soon,  if  he  suffer  or  if  he  fall  in  defence  of  the  liberties  and  Consti- 
tution of  his  country." 

Funerals  of  Calhouii  and  Clay. — Webster  died  at  Marshfield,  Massa- 
chusetts; Calhoun  and  Clay  passed  away  in  Washington  and  were  honored 
with  funeral  exercises  at  the  Capitol.  On  Tuesday,  April  2,  1850,  at  twelve 
o'clock,  the  remains  of  John  C.  Calhoun  were  brought  into  the  Senate 
Chamber,  attended  by  the  committee  of  arrangements  and  by  Messrs.  Man- 
gum,  Clay,  Webster,  Cass,  King  and  Berrien,  who  acted  as  pall-bearers. 
The  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  C.  M.  Butler,  D.D.,  Chaplain  of  the  Sen- 
ate. After  the  exercises,  the  funeral  cortege  proceeded  to  the  Congressional 
cemetery,  where  the  body  was  temporarily  deposited.  The  escort  was  most 
distinguished  in  its  character. 

The  remains  of  Henry  Clay  were  borne  to  the  Capitol  on  Thursday,  July 
i,  1852.  The  escort  from  the  National  Hotel,  where  he  died,  was  com- 
posed of  public  associations,  military  and  civic  authorities,  public  function- 
aries— foreign  and  American — and  a  long  line  of  citizens  and  strangers. 
The  exercises  were  held  in  the  Senate  Chamber.  The  funeral  service  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  was  read,  and  a  sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Butler.  The  President  of  the  United  States  and  the  Speaker  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  occupied  seats  by  the  President  of  the  Senate.  The  two 
innermost  rows  of  chairs  around  the  lifeless  form  were  reserved  for  his 
brother  Senators  and  certain  representatives  of  State  sovereignties.  The 
committee  who  were  to  convey  his  remains  to  his  native  State,  its  delegation 
as  chief  mourners,  the  pall-bearers  and  personal  friends  also  were  assigned 
places  in  close  proximity  to  the  deceased.  Behind  these  were  assembled 
Representatives,  members  of  the  diplomatic  corps,  the  Cabinet,  officers  of 
the  army  and  navy,  among  whom  Major-General  Scott  and  Commodose  Morris 
were  conspicuous,  municipal  councils  and  distinguished  citizens.  The  old 
Senate  Chamber  was  crowded,  as  it  had  so  often  been  to  hear  his  voice. 
The  handles,  plate  and  trimmings  of  the  rich  casket  were  of  silver,  beauti- 
fully chased  with  a  full-blown  rose  and  wreaths  of  laurel  and  of  oak — the 
acorns  detached  as  if  fallen  from  the  stem.  After  the  services,  the  cortege 
left  the  Capitol. 


*52  The  National  Capitol 

Assault  upon  Sumner. — The  assault  upon  Mr.  Sumner,  while  here 
seated  at  his  Senatorial  desk,  May  22,  1856,  was  of  a  more  serious  nature  and 
more  to  be  regretted,  than  the  quarrel — however  serious  its  aspect — between 
Mr.  Benton  and  Mr.  Foote.  A  committee  of  investigation  was  appointed 
the  next  day,  and  on  May  28th  it  reported  the  assault  a  breach  of  the  privilege 
of  the  Senate,  but  held  that  the  offense  could  be  punished  by  the  House  of 
Representatives  only,  of  which  Mr.  Brooks,  the  assaulting  party,  was  a  Mem- 
ber. Upon  this  report  being  sent  to  the  House,  that  body  appointed  a  select 
committee  to  investigate  the  case,  to  which  the  report  of  the  committee  of 
the  Senate  was  referred  May  29th.  The  House  committee  held  the  assault 
to  be  a  breach  of  the  privilege  of  the  House,  as  a  coordinate  branch,  and 
recommended  expulsion.  The  resolution,  however,  failed  of  the  necessary 
two-thirds  vote,  though  on  the  same  day,  July  14,  1856,  Mr.  Brooks  an- 
nounced his  resignation.  He  was  fined  $300  by  the  court  in  Washington; 
but  his  reelection  to  Congress,  from  South  Carolina,  without  opposition,  fol- 
lowed immediately. 

The  Senate  committee  in  its  investigation  found  that  Senators  Toombs, 
Pearce  and  Crittenden  were  seated  in  their  respective  chairs  just  preceding 
the  affair.  During  the  occurrence,  Mr.  Crittenden  was  observed  near  the 
parties,  evidently  striving  to  terminate  the  assault.  Mr.  Keitt  also,  a  Member 
of  the  House  from  South  Carolina,  was  seen  to  approach  the  parties,  pre- 
sumably with  the  same  intention.  .  In  his  testimony  before  the  committee, 
Joseph  H.  Nicholson,  an  eye-witness,  gave  the  following  lucid  account  of 
the  unfortunate  occurrence  : 

"On  Thursday  last,  the  22nd  of  May,  instant,  a  few  moments  after  the  adjournment 
of  the  Senate,  I  retired,  as  usual,  to  my  desk  in  one  of  the  offices  of  the  Secretary  of  the 
Senate.  After  the  lapse  of  a  brief  period  I  returned  to  the  Senate  Chamber  to  request  the 
assistant  doorkeeper  (Mr.  Holland)  to  have  a  piece  of  money  changed  for  me.  After 
seeking  the  doorkeeper  and  communicating  my  wish  to  him,  I  was  walking  down  the  main 
aisle  of  the  chamber,  when  I  observed  the  Hon.  Mr.  Brooks,  of  South  Carolina,  sitting  at 
the  desk  of  Senator  Pratt.  I  saluted  him,  '  How  is  Col.  Brooks  to-day?'  He  responded, 
'Well,  I  thank  you,'  and  beckoning  to  me  he  added,  'Come  here,  Nicholson.'  I 
advanced,  and  placing  myself  in  Senator  Bayard's  chair,  near  which,  on  my  right,  Maj. 
Emory,  of  the  United  States  Army,  was  standing,  and  with  whom  I  had  been  conversing 
a  few  minutes  before,  Col.  Brooks  remarked  to  me  in  his  usual  tone  of  voice,  and  without 
the  slightest  show  of  inquietude,  'Do  you  see  that  lady  in  the  lobby?'  Turning  round 
and  observing  a  lady  sitting  on  the  lounge  at  a  short  distance  from  us,  I  said,  '  Yes.'  Col. 
B.  said,  '  She  has  been  there  for  some  time  ;  what  does  she  want  ?  Can't  you  manage  to 
get  her  out  ? '  Thinking  that  Col.  B.  was  only  indulging  a  momentary  whim,  I  jocosely 
replied,  'No;  that  would  be  ungallant  ;  besides,  she  is  very  pretty.'  Col.  B.,  turning 
round,  and  looking  at  the  lady,  said,  'Yes  ;  she  is  pretty,  but  I  wish  she  would  go.'  At 
this  moment,  the  changed  money  was  brought  to  me  by  one  of  the  pages,  and  almost  at 
the  same  moment  Maj.  Emory  inquired,  '  Who  was  that  gentleman  you  were  conversing 
with  ?'  I  had  scarcely  said  '  Col.  Brooks,  of  South  Carolina,  a  very  clever  fellow,'  when 


The  National  Capitol  153 

observing  Col.  Brooks  advancing  in  front  of  us,  and  towards,  as  though  about  to  speak  to, 
Senator  Sumner,  who  was  sitting  at  his  desk  apparently  engaged  in  writing,  or  with  papers 
before  him,  I  cannot  be  positive  which  ;  I  voluntarily  attempted  to  call  Maj.  Emory's 
attention  to  the  fact,  for  I  was  much  surprised  to  see  a  South  Carolina  Representative  in 
the  act  of  approaching  to  speak  to  Senator  Sumner  after  the  speech  delivered  by  the  latter 
the  two  previous  days  but  one  in  the  Senate.  But  before  I  could  attract  Maj.  Emory's 
attention  or  express  surprise,  I  saw  Col.  Brooks  lean  on  and  over  the  desk  of  Senator 
Sumner,  and  seemingly  say  something  to  him,  and  instantly,  and  while  Senator  Sumner 
was  in  the  act  of  rising,  Col.  Brooks  struck  him  over  the  head  with  a  dark-colored  walking 
cane,  which  blow  he  repeated  twice  or  three  times,  and  with  rapidity. 

"  I  think  several  blows  had  been  inflicted  before  Senator  Sumner  was  fully  in  posses- 
sion of  his  locomotion,  and  extricated  from  his  desk,  which  was  thrown  over  or  broken 
from  its  fastenings  by  the  efforts  of  the  Senator  to  extricate  himself.  As  soon  as  Senator 
Sumner  was  free  from  the  desk  he  moved  down  the  narrow  passageway  under  the 
impetuous  drive  of  his  adversary,  with  his  hands  uplifted  as  though  to  ward  off  the  blows 
which  were  rained  on  his  head  with  as  much  quickness  as  was  possible  for  any  man  to  use 
a  cane  on  another  whom  he  was  intent  on  chastising.  The  scene  occupied  but  a  point  of 
time — only  long  enough  to  raise  the  arm  and  inflict  some  ten  or  twelve  blows  in  the  most 
rapid  succession — the  cane  having  been  broken  in  several  pieces.  All  the  while  Senator 
Sumner  was  holding  his  hands  above  his  head,  and  turning  and  tottering,  until  he  sank 
gradually  on  the  floor  near  Senator  Collamer's  desk,  in  a  bleeding  and  apparently 
exhausted  condition.  I  did  not  hear  one  word,  or  murmur,  or  exclamation,  from  either 
party  until  the  affair  was  over.  Such  was  the  suddenness  of  the  affair,  the  rapidity  of  its 
execution,  the  position  of  persons  in  the  chamber,  and  the  relative  positions  of  the  chairs 
and  desks,  that,  although  several  persons  (myself  among  them)  quickly  advanced  to  the 
spot  where  the  parties  were  engaged,  it  was  not  in  the  power  of  those  present  to  have 
separated  Col.  Brooks,  or  to  have  rescued  Senator  Sumner,  so  as  to  have  prevented  the 
former  from  accomplishing  his  purpose.  Such  was  the  conclusion  of  my  judgment  at  the 
moment  of  the  occurrence,  and  such  it  is  now." 

At  the  same  investigation,  Governor  Brown  of  Mississippi  testified  that 
Mr.  Brooks  had  in  this  way  spoken  to  him  of  the  affair  :  "Regarding  the 
speech  (of  Mr.  Sumner)  as  an  atrocious  libel  on  South  Carolina  and  a  gross 
insult  to  my  absent  relative  (Judge  Butler)  I  determined,  when  it  was  deliv- 
ered, to  punish  him  for  it.  To-day  I  approached  him,  after  the  Senate  ad- 
journed, and  said  to  him,  '  Mr.  Sumner,  I  have  read  your  speech  carefully, 
and  with  as  much  calmness  as  I  could  be  expected  to  read  such  a  speech. 
You  have  libeled  my  State  and  slandered  my  relation,  who  is  aged  and 
absent,  and  I  feel  it  to  be  my  duty  to  punish  you  for  it ' ;  and  with  that  I 
struck  him  a  blow  across  his  head  with  my  cane,  and  repeated  it  until  I  was 
satisfied.  No  one  interposed,  and  I  desisted  simply  because  I  had  punished 
him  to  my  satisfaction." 

Robing  Room  of  the  Justices  and  Offices  of  the  Clerk. — The 
Clerk's  offices  are  on  the  west  side  of  the  main  corridor,  and  open  from  the 
vestibule,  directly  before  the  Court  room,  which  contains  Ionic  columns  simi- 
lar to  those  within  that  chamber. 

The  robing  room,  once  the  Vice-President's  room,   to  the  north,  is  not 


i54  The  National  Capitol 

open  to  the  public.  The  justices,  headed  by  the  Chief  Justice,  cross  from 
it  to  the  lobby  which  leads  to  the  bench,  a  moment  before  twelve  o'clock, 
when  the  Court  convenes,  and  return  after  adjournment.  At  such  times,  all 
traffic  in  the  hallway  is  stopped  by  messengers  of  the  Court,  who  stretch 
crimson  cords  across  the  corridor.  This  portion  of  the  corridor  was  formerly 
shut  off  by  mahogany  doors.  The  room  thus  formed  was  lighted  by  a  window 
to  the  north  and  a  large  chandelier.  It  was  reserved  for  the  President  when 
he  came  to  the  Capitol  to  sign  bills  or  for  other  purposes. 

On  the  right  and  left  of  the  anteroom,  which  is  artificially  lighted,  because 
it  has  no  windows,  are  cabinets  with  glass  doors,  in  which  hang  the  black 
silk  gowns  of  the  justices,  together  with  combs  and  brushes,  which,  in  some 
instances  at  least,  the  casual  observer  might  respectfully  submit  are  superfluous. 
The  inner  room  is  much  larger  and  contains  three  windows,  the  one  at  the 
end  of  the  room  affording  the  same  fine  view  of  the  city  as  the  western  por- 
tico of  the  central  building.  These  windows  are  draped  with  dark  red  cur- 
tains lined  in  yellow.  In  the  center  of  the  south  side  of  the  room  is  a  fire- 
place, whose  mantle,  though  not  large,  is  delicately  cut  from  Italian  marble. 
On  it  is  a  French  clock,  which  was  purchased  during  the  war.  The  room 
contains  two  cases  of  books,  to  the  right  and  left  of  the  fire-place,  for  ready 
reference  by  the  justices.  These  embrace  the  Statutes  at  Large,  the  Reports 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  and  a  few  other  necessary  books. 
A  number  of  hair-clo'th  chairs  attract  attention  for  their  oddity  and  rarity. 
They  have  been -well  described  as  "  a  cross  between  an  ancient  ottoman  and 
the  curule  chair  of  a  Roman  Senator."  By  pushing  them  together,  sofas 
may  be  formed.  There  are  also  several  high-back  judicial-looking  chairs, 
and  a  large  table  for  writing.  This  furniture  is  very  old.  The  carpet  in  the 
room  was  placed  there  in  October,  1876. 

Above  the  mantle  hangs  a  painting  in  oils,  which  is  one  of  the  most  inter- 
esting in  the  building.  It  is  by  Gray,  after  Gilbert  Stuart,  of  John  Jay,  the 
first  Chief  Justice.  The  robe  in  which  he  appears  is  black,  except  its  large 
flowing  sleeves,  which  from  just  below  the  shoulders  are  brick-dust  red, 
trimmed  above  and  below  with  narrow  silver-gray  braid.  About  the  neck 
is  worn  a  kind  of  stole,  which  falls  low  in  front  like  an  edge  to  the  gown, 
giving  the  effect  of  a  collar.  It  is  said  that  this  was  the  gown  of  the 
University  of  Dublin,  which  conferred  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  upon 
Jay,  together  with  Adams  and  Franklin,  at  the  close  of  the  peace  negotia- 
tions with  England;  and  that  he  adopted  it  when  he  became  Chief  Justice. 
There  is  a  story  also  that  the  Chief  Justice  borrowed  the  gown  of  Chancellor 
Livingston  to  wear  until  the  Court  should  decide  upon  its  costume;  but,  if 
so,  he  never  returned  it  to  that  worthy  judge ;  for  it  reverted  to  the  Jay  family 
after  remaining  in  the  possession  of  the  Court  many  years.  The  picture  was 
presented  by  John  Jay,  ex-Minister  to  Austria. 


The  National  Capitol 


155 


JOHN  JAY 


To  the  right  of  this  picture  hangs  an  oil  painting  of  Chief  Justice  Taney 
by  Healey.  It  was  executed  when  Taney  was  eighty-two  years  of  age,  nearly 
six  years  before  his  death.  To  the  left  of  the  fire-place  hangs  a  corresponding 
picture  in  oils  of  Oliver  Ellsworth,  the  third  Chief  Justice.  It  is  charming 
for  the  rich,  old-fashioned  dress  in  which  the  artist  represents  the  Chief  Justice, 
who  is  seated  by  a  table  with  a  scroll  in  his  left  hand.  The  figure  was  copied 
from  an  old  family  picture  preserved  at  Windsor,  Connecticut,  representing 
the  Chief  Justice  and  Mrs.  Ellsworth  seated  at  a  table  by  a  window,  through 
which  the  house  can  be  seen.  It  was  thought  to  be  the  best  likeness  ever 


156  The  National  Capitol 

painted  of  the  Chief  Justice.  This  copy  was  made  by  Elliott,  a  Hartford 
artist,  for  the  Court  after  the  original  by  R.  Earle  (1792). 

Opposite  the  fire-place  hangs  a  large  painting  of  the  head  and  bust  of  Marshall 
by  Rembrandt  Peale,  which  is  a  worthy  companion  piece  to  his  Washington, 
in  the  Vice-President's  room.  The  artist  has  oddly  framed  the  great  Chief 
Justice  on  the  canvas  in  a  circular  wall,  at  the  top  of  which  is  represented  a 
head  of  Solon,  as  if  carved  in  stone;  beneath  the  portrait  is  painted  in  large 
letters  across  the  canvas:  "Fiat  justicia."  The  painting  was  presented  to 
Chief  Justice  Chase  by  his  legal  admirers;  and  he  bequeathed  it,  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  to  the  Court. 

To  the  right  and  left  of  the  entrance  door,  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  room, 
hang  portraits  respectively  of  Chase  and  Waite.  The  former  was  painted  for 
Henry  D.  Cook  by  W.  Cogswell,  when  Chase  was  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
and  the  date,  "  1868,"  on  the  front  of  the  painting  must  have  been  incorrectly 
placed  there  at  the  time  of  its  icstoration  after  the  World's  Columbian  Expo- 
sition, where  most  of  these  paintings  were  severely  damaged.  The  portrait  of 
Chief  Justice  Waite  is  by  Cornelia  Adele  Fassett,  and  was  purchased  by  order 
of  the  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library,  soon  after  his  death.  It  was  painted 
in  the  robing  room. 

Upon  the  west  wall  hangs  a  portrait  of  Chief  Justice  Rutledge,  which  is 
a  copy  of  a  copy,  made  by  Robert  Hinckley,  a  Washington  artist.  The  origi- 
nal picture,  which  was  owned  by  Captain  John  Rutledge,  a  grandson  of  the 
Chief  Justice,  is  a  miniature  by  Trumbull..  This  was  copied  for  Mr.  Justice 
Gray,  and  from  it  the  present  painting  was  made. 

Upon  the  side  walls  at  this  end  of  the  room  are  other  pictures,  the  most 
noticeable  of  which  is  a  portrait  of  Marshall,  painted  by  Martin  in  1814. 
The  Court  was  anxious  to  obtain  this  picture,  which  was  in  the  possession  of 
descendants  in  Virginia.  When  the  matter  came  before  the  Joint  Committee 
on  the  Library,  Mr.  Evarts  championed  its  purchase.  He  stated  that  it  had 
been  brought  to  his  attention  by  Chief  Justice  Fuller,  who  said  that  it  had 
been  pronounced  a  good  likeness  by  Mrs.  Marshall.  A  photograph  also  of 
Marshall,  by  Rice  from  St.  Memim's  charcoal  sketch  from  life,  commands  at- 
tention, as  well  as  an  engraving  of  Coleridge,  Lord  Chief  Justice  of  England, 
which  that  eminent  judge  and  jurist  sent  to  the  Court  in  grateful  memory  of  the 
honor  conferred  on  him  on  the  igth  of  October,  1883,  when  he  was  accorded 
a  seat  upon  the  bench  of  this  highest  American  court  during  its  session.  The 
letter  accompanying  this  gift,  which  hangs  upon  the  opposite  wall  in  a  neat 
frame,  requests  the  acceptance  of  the  picture  and  its  hanging  upon  the  walls 
of  some  room  occupied  by  the  Court. 


THE   SENATE   WING 


MAIN    CORRIDOR   OF   THE  SENATE 


BEFORE  the 
principal  en- 
trance to  the  Sen- 
ate Chamber  runs 
east  and  west  the 
main  corridor  of 
that  wing.  To 
the  south  of  its 
eastern  archway 
is  a  portrait  of 
Washington  by 
Gilbert  Stuart, 
and  to  the  north, 
one  of  John 
Adams,  copied  by 
Andrews  from  the 
same  master  for  a 
companion  pic- 
ture, and  bought  by  the  government  for  $150  in  1881.  A  corresponding  arch- 
way, upon  the  right  and  left  of  which  hang  portraits,  one  of  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son by  Thomas  Sully  and  the  other  of  Patrick  Henry  *  by  Matthews,  connects 
this  south  corridor  of  the  Senate  with  one  on  the  west,  which  leads  to  the  Italian 
marble  staircase.  This  ascends  to  the  galleries,  from  which  visitors  may  view 
the  proceedings  of  the  Senate,  except  in  case  of  executive  session,  when  the 
upper  corridors  and  all  doors  to  the  chamber  and  galleries  are  strictly  guarded. 

Statue  of  Hancock. — At  the  foot  of  this  beautiful  staircase  stands  a 
marble  statue  of  John  Hancock,  the  first  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence. On  the  base  are  inscribed  these  words  :  "  He  wrote  his  name 
where  all  nations  should  behold  it,  and  all  time  should  not  efface  it."  They 

*  His  speech  in  the  House  of  Burgesses  May  29,  1765,  on  the  Stamp  Act,  helped  to 
bring  Virginia  to  the  stand  already  taken  by  the  New  England  States.  In  vindicating  his 
resolutions,  objected  to  by  Robinson,  the  Speaker,  he  said:  "Caesar  had  his  Brutus — 
Charles  the  First,  his  Cromwell — and  George  the  Third— ('  Treason  !  Treason  ! '  resounded 
from  the  neighborhood  of  the  chair) — may  profit  by  their  examples.  Sir,  if  this  be  treason 
(bowing  to  chair),  make  the  most  of  it !" 


i58  The  National  Capitol 

recall  his  signature  on  that  immortal  document,  almost  the  only  one  which 
time  has  not  nearly  obliterated,  and  his  alleged  reply  when  asked  why  he  wrote 
so  boldly:  "So  that  George  III.  can  read  it  without  putting  on  his  glasses." 
Horatio  Stone,  the  sculptor,  received  $5,500  for  this  work. 

Battle  of  Chapultepec. — On  the  wall  above  the  landing  of  the  staircase 
is  an  historical  painting  by  James  Walker,  which  represents  the  battle  of 
Chapultepec.  This  battle  was  fought  on  the  i3th  of  September,  1847,  the 
American  troops  being  under  the  command  of  Generals  Pillow  and  Quitman. 
The  artist  was  present  at  the  battle,  and,  no  doubt,  attempted  to  record  his 
impressions  accurately.  The  picture  is  one  of  the  few,  if  not  the  only  one, 
in  the  possession  of  the  government  which  represents  the  uniform  of  the 
American  soldier  at  that  period.  It  is,  however,  inadequate  in  conception 
and  execution  to  its  position  and  surroundings,  though  it  would,  no  doubt, 
appear  to  good  advantage  in  some  less  conspicuous  place  on  the  walls  of  the 
Capitol.  The  cost  of  the  painting  to  the  government  has  been  $6,137.37. 
It  was  executed  in  1860  and  intended  for  the  room  of  the  Committee  on  Mili- 
tary Affairs  of  the  House. 

Secretary's  Room. — From  the  west  corridor  opens  the  suite  of  rooms 
which  are  set  apart  for  the  use  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  and  his  corps  of 
assistants.  Here  are  filed  all  the  records  of  the  Senate,  all  papers  and  testi- 
mony relating  to  its  legislation  and  all  the  original  Messages  of  the  Presidents 
of  the  United  States  to  that  body. 

President's  Room. — At  the  west  end  of  the  private  lobby,  which  is 
directly  north  of  the  Senate  Chamber  proper,  is  a  room  known  as  the  Presi- 
dent's room.  This  is,  beyond  doubt,  the  most  beautifully  decorated  room  in 
the  Capitol.  Whenever  occasion  requires  the  presence  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States  at  the  Capitol,  this  room  is  solely  for  his  use.  Except  during 
the  administrations  of  Cleveland,  it  has  been  customary  for  the  Executive 
to  visit  the  Capitol  during  the  last  days  of  each  Congress  to  sign  bills ;  and 
in  this  room  many  bills  have  become  laws  by  the  President's  approval.  It 
has  been  the  scene  of  other  incidents  in  their  lives.  On  the  evening  of 
March  3,  1865,  Grant  received  a  message  from.  Lee  asking  for  a  meeting  and 
interchange  of  views  looking  to  a  submission  of  "  the  subjects  of  controversy 
between  the  belligerents  to  a  convention."  "General  Grant,  not  being 
vested  with  any  authority  whatever  to  treat  for  peace,"  writes  General 
Horace  Porter,  "  at  once  telegraphed  the  contents  of  the  communication  to 
the  Secretary  of  War,  and  asked  for  instructions.  The  dispatch  was  sub- 
mitted to  Mr.  Lincoln  at  the  Capitol,  where  he  had  gone,  according  to  the 
usual  custom  at  the  closing  hours  of  the  session  of  Congress,  in  order  to  act 
promptly  upon  the  bills  presented  to  him.  He  consulted  with  the  Secretaries 
of  State  and  War,  and  then  wrote  with  his  own  hand  a  reply,  dated  midnight, 
which  was  signed  by  Stanton,  and  forwarded  to  General  Grant.  It  was 


The  National  Capitol 


THE   PRESIDENTS    ROOM 

received  the  morning  of  the  4th,  and  read  as  follows  :  'The  President"  directs 
me  to  say  to  you  that  he  wishes  you  to  have  no  conference  with  General  Lee, 
unless  it  be  for  the  capitulation  of  General  Lee's  army,  or  on  some  minor 
and  purely  military  matter.  He  instructs  me  to  say  that  you  are  not  to  decide, 
discuss,  or  confer  upon  any  political  question.  Such  questions  the  President 
holds  in  his  own  hands,  and  will  submit  them  to  no  military  conferences  or  con- 
ventions. Meantime  you  are  to  press  to  the  utmost  your  military  advantages.'  " 
When  the  Senate  is  not  in  session  and  the  room  is  not  occupied  by  the 
President,  it  is  open  to  public  view.  The  rich  decorations  are  the  work  of 
linnnidi.  In  the  northeast  corner  of  the  ceiling  is  a  picture  of  William  15rcw- 
ster,  Elder  of  Plymouth  Colony;  in  the  southeast  corner,  one  of  Christopher 
Columbus;  and  in  the  southwest  corner,  one  of  Benjamin  Franklin.  The 
remaining  figure  is  of  Americus  Vespucius.  Four  groups  also  beautify  the 
ceiling.  To  the  north  is  Religion;  to  the  east,  Executive  Authority  :  to  the 
south,  Liberty;  and  to  the  west,  Legislation.  All  these  are  in  fresco.  On 
the  upper  portion  of  the  south  wall  is  noticeable  a  portrait  of  Washington  in 


160  The  National  Capitol 

oils,  which  was  painted  from  Rembrandt  Peale's  celebrated  picture,,  masks 
and  other  sources.  Around  the  room  are  portraits  in  oils  of  the  first  Cabinet, 
Jefferson,  Hamilton,  Knox,  Randolph  and  Osgood.  The  rich  furniture  of  the 
room  is  upholstered  in  red  leather;  and  in  one  corner  stands  a  handsome 
"grandfather's  clock"  of  mahogany,  purchased  in  1887. 

Reception  of  King  Kalakaua. — On  Friday,  December  18,  1874,  Mr. 
Cameron  announced  to  the  Senate  that  King  Kalakaua  was  in  the  President's 
room,  and  that  the  committee  charged  with  his  reception  would  suggest  that 
the  Senators  call  upon  him.  A  recess  was  accordingly  taken  until  one  o'clock, 
and  the  Senators  proceeded  in  a  body  to  be  individually  presented  to  his 
majesty.  At  noon  they  all  marched  to  the  hall  of  the  House,  where  the 
reception  proper  was  held.  The  galleries  were  crowded,  and  many  ladies 
were  admitted  to  the  floor.  Seats  to  the  right  of  the  Speaker's  chair  were 
assigned  to  the  Senators,  who  were  received  by  the  Members  standing.  Gen- 
eral Sherman  was  conspicuous  upon  the  floor.  The  king  was  escorted  by  Mr. 
Cameron,  chairman  of  the  Senate  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations,  and  by 
Mr.  Orth,  chairman  of  the  House  Committee  on  Foreign  Affairs  ;  his  suite  by 
other  members  of  the  committee  of  arrangements.  The  entire  party  were  in 
citizen's  dress.  When  his  majesty  had  reached  the  space  in  front  of  the 
Speaker's  desk,  Mr.  Cameron  introduced  him  as  follows  :  "  Mr.  Speaker,  I  have 
the  honor  to  present  to  you  his  majesty,  the  King  of  Hawaii."  Mr.  Speaker 
Elaine,  with  Vice-President  Wilson  standing  on  his  right,  then  addressed  the 
king  in  a  speech  of  welcome.  His  majesty's  reply  was  read  by  one  of  his 
attendants,  Chancellor  Allen,  after  the  formality  of  a  conference  a,nd  the 
announcement  that  the  king  was  suffering  from  a  cold  and  hoarseness.  Fol- 
lowing this  the  Speaker  descended  from  his  place  and  was  introduced  to 
Kalakaua,  with  whom  he  exchanged  courtesies.  The  former  then  resumed 
the  chair;  and  his  majesty  retired  as  he  had  entered,  followed  by  his  suite 
and  the  assembled  Senators. 

The  Marble  Room. — The  marble  room  is  directly  east  of  the  Presi- 
dent's room,  and  also  opens  upon  the  private  lobby  of  the  Senate.  This  room 
is  built  almost  entirely  of  marble ;  the  ceiling,  pilasters  and  four  fluted  Co- 
rinthian columns  of  veined  Italian  marble,  the  walls  and  wainscoting  of 
native  dark-brown  marble  from  Tennessee.  It  is  used  by  the  Senators  as  a 
private  reception  room.  Persons  who  desire  to  see  a  Senator  during  a  session, 
must  first  send  their  cards  to  him  from  the  public  reception  room,  which  is  on 
the  east  side  of  the  chamber,  and  if  the  Senator  grants  an  interview,  the  visit- 
ors are  conducted  to  the  marble  room  to  await  his  coming. 

Vice-President's  Room. — The  private  office  of  the  Vice-President, 
which  is  known  as  the  Vice-President's  room,  is  directly  east  of  the  marble 
room.  It  is  not  ordinarily  open  to  the  public.  Upon  its  eastern  wall  hangs 
a  portrait  which  is  probably  the  best  of  Washington  in  the  possession  of 


The  National  Capitol  161 

the  government.  It  was  painted  by  Rembrandt  Peale,  the  son  of  Charles 
Willson  Peale.  The  studies  were  made  when  the  former  was  but  eighteen 
years  of  age.  Washington  sat  on  three  occasions  out  of  respect  for  the 
artist's  father.  The  young  painter,  however,  seems  to  have  been  more 
agitated  than  inspired  by  the  honor.  His  original  sketch  has  been  lost, 
though  the  present  painting,  which  was  executed  in  1828,  long  after  Washing- 
ton's death,  preserves  its  best  remembered  points.  The  artist  always  worked 
with  Houdon's  bust  before  him.  The  painting  was  much  admired,  both 
in  the  United  States  and  in  the  principal  cities  of  Europe,  where  it  was 
exhibited  in  1829.  In  1832,  the  Senate,  by  a  unanimous  resolution,  appro- 
priated $2,000  for  its  purchase.  Chief  Justice  Marshall  spoke  of  it  as  "  more 
Washington  himself  than  any  portrait  I  have  ever  seen  "  ;  Judge  Peters  gave  it 
a  better  testimonial,  "  I  judge  from  its  effect  on  my  heart." 

Upon  the  mantle  is  a  French  gilt  clock  of  exquisite  workmanship,  which 
was  purchased  during  the  administration  of  Polk  and  Dallas.  The  book- 
case on  the  western  side  of  the  room  dates  from  the  time  of  Buchanan.  In 
a  small  closet  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  room  hangs  an  antique  gilt 
mirror,  which  tradition  says  was  purchased  by  John  Adams,  the  first  Vice- 
President  of  the  United  States,  when  the  seat  of  government  was  in  New 
York  city.  If  this  be  true,  the  glass,  no  doubt,  has  many  times  reflected  the 
features  of  the  immortal  Washington.  Two  brackets  upon  the  eastern  wall 
hold  busts  of  Henry  Wilson  by  Daniel  C.  French  (1885)  and  of  Lafayette 
Foster  by  C.  Caverley  (1878),  former  Vice-Presidents  of  the  United  States. 

In  this  room  one  Vice-President  passed  away  and  another  received  the  oath 
of  office  as  President.  Here  Henry  Wilson  died;  here  on  the  22d  of  Septem- 
ber, 1881,  in  the  presence  of  General  Grant  and  of  a  few  of  the  justices  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  Garfield's  Cabinet,  the  Senators  and  Representatives,  the  oath 
of  office  was  administered  to  Chester  A.  Arthur  by  Chief  Justice  Waite.  The 
inaugural  was  very  short.  Two  days  earlier,  Arthur  had  taken  the  same  oath 
at  his  residence,  No.  123  Lexington  Avenue,  New  York,  at  two  o'clock  A.M., 
in  the  presence  of  John  R.  Brady,  a  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State 
of  New  York. 

Henry  Wilson  suffered  a  congestive  chill  November  10,  1875,  while  taking 
a  bath  in  the  Senate  bathroom,  and  was  carried  immediately  to  the  Vice- 
President's  room.  Twelve  days  later,  at  twenty  minutes  after  seven  in  the 
morning,  he  passed  away.  He  had  awakened  at  seven  seemingly  refreshed 
and  hopeful.  In  a  few  minutes,  however,  there  was  a  change.  His  breath 
came  shorter  and  shorter,  his  head  fell  back  on  the  pillow, — a  moment — and 
he  was  gone.  While  thoughtfully  musing  during  his  last  minutes  upon  his 
election  to  the  Vice-Presidency,  he  unconsciously  uttered  his  dying  words  : 
"  If  I  live  to  the  close  of  my  present  term  there  will  be  only  five  who  have 
served  their  country  so  long  as  I."  "  The  room  this  morning,"  records  the 
ii 


162  The  National  Capitol 

Star,  "  was  in  a  state  of  great  confusion,  showing  the  lack  of  female  nursing 
and  attention.  At  the  head  of  his  bed  on  the  right  was  a  small  desk  on 
which  were  numerous  bottles  of  medicine,  glasses  and  other  articles.  On 
the  left  and  between  the  bed  and  the  closet  was  an  easy  chair  and  an  ordi- 
nary arm  chair  on  which  were  lying  some  of  his  clothing.  At  the  foot  of  the 
bed  was  a  large  screen  used  to  protect  the  Vice-President  from  the  draft  from 
the  door  or  window,  or  if  desired  from  the  heat  of  the  grate.  On  a  table  in 
the  centre  of  the  room  were  a  few  books  and  some  cards  of  callers  of  yester- 
day. Several  letters,  some  opened  and  some  unopened,  were  lying  on  the 
table  and  a  letter  partly  finished  was  among  them." 

A  post-mortem  examination,  most  horrible  in  its  details  to  the  eyes  and 
ears  of  the  uninitiated,  found  the  cause  of  death  to  be  apoplexy.  At  ten 
o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  25th,  the  casket  was  placed  in  state  in  the 
rotunda.  Marines  in  full  uniform  composed  the  guard  of  honor;  the  one  at 
the  head  and  the  one  at  the  foot  at  "  parade  rest,"  as  motionless  as  statues. 
Strangely  enough,  much  disrespect  to  the  departed  was  evinced  and  permitted. 
The  National  Republican  says  :  "  Men  stood  about  the  rotunda  with  hats  on, 
smoking  cigars  and  pipes ;  nurses  occupied  the  seats,  while  their  charges 
played  hide-and-seek  among  the  crowd,  and  several  parties  of  women  went  so 
far  as  to  spread  out  the  lunch  they  had  brought  with  them  and  eat  it  within 
sight  of  the  remains.  All  this  was  most  unseemly  and  should  have  been  pre- 
vented by  the  police,  but  was  allowed  to  pass  unnoticed.  It  was  estimated 
that  fully  twenty-five  thousand  persons  viewed  the  remains." 

On  the  morning  of  the  26th,  the  casket  was  lifted  by  soldiers  detailed 
from  the  Ordnance  Corps  of  the  army,  and  borne  to  the  Senate  Chamber. 
President  Grant,  his  Cabinet  and  a  distinguished  gathering  were  present.  At 
ten-thirty  o'clock  Mr.  Ferry,  President  of  the  Senate,  arose  and  said  :  "  Appro- 
priate funeral  services  will  now  be  held."  Chaplain  Byron  Sunderland  then 
read  selections  from  Scripture,  after  which  Rev.  Dr.  Rankin  delivered  a  dis- 
course. The  Chaplain  offered  prayer  and  the  services  closed  with  the  bene- 
diction. As  each  delegation  was  called  by  the  Sergeant-at-Arms,  it  passed 
quietly  out  of  the  hall  and  took  the  place  assigned  to  it  in  the  procession. 
The  remains  left  the  city  at  the  Baltimore  and  Potomac  depot,  where  six  years 
later  Garfield  was  shot. 

Public  Reception  Room. — The  public  reception  room  before  the 
eastern  entrance  to  the  Senate  lobby  owes  much  of  its  beauty  to  exquisite 
mural  decorations  in  fresco  by  Brumidi,  though  the  artist,  because  of  other 
assignments  of  work,  was  never  permitted  to  finish  all  the  panels.  On  the 
northern  portion  of  the  ceiling  are  four  groups  representing  Peace,  Freedom, 
War  and  Agriculture.  To  the  south,  the  center  piece  also  is  beautifully  fres- 
coed. In  the  four  corners  of  the  room  are  depicted  the  cardinal  virtues, 
Prudence,  Justice,  Temperance  and  Fortitude.  On  the  south  wall  is  another 


The  National  Capitol 


163 


interesting  group,  George  Washington  in  consultation  with  two  members  of  his 
Cabinet,  Alexander  Hamilton,  first  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son, first  Secretary  of  State.  Northeast  of  the  reception  room,  in  the  corner  of 
the  wing,  is  the  room  of  the  Sergeant-at-Arms  of  the  Senate.  On  the  wall  hangs  a 
full-length  portrait  (1875)  of  Joseph  Henry  by  Henry  Ulke,  a  Washington  artist. 
Here  also  are  traces  of  Brumidi's  brush.  To  the  east,  a  maiden,  sadly  breaking 
a  bundle  of  fasces,  indicates  the  dissolution  of  the  Union.  To  the  south  is  War. 
To  the  west,  a  maiden  is  cheerfully  binding  the  bundle  of  fasces,  each  rod  again 
in  its  place.  To  the  north  is  Prosperity.  The  group  in  the  center  of  the  ceil- 
ing personifies  the  loving  welcome  of  the  erring  daughter  back  into  the  fold. 


PUBLIC   RECEPTION   ROOM 


164  The  National  Capitol    . 

The  hallway  which  forms  the  eastern  approach  to  the  Senate  Chamber  is 
rightfully  much  admired.  It  contains  sixteen  fluted  columns  of  Italian 
marble,  supporting  a  ceiling  of  the  same  costly  material.  The  capitals  of 
these  columns  might  be  styled  Americanized-Corinthian,  as  the  classic  acan- 
thus is  gracefully  surmounted  by  the  native  corn  and  tobacco  leaves.  It  is 
said  that  while  the  columns  were  being  carved,  Jefferson  Davis,  Secretary  of 
War,  suggested  the  innovation  as  more  representative  of  American  products. 
The  side  walls,  which  are  of  plaster  decorated  in  imitation  of  Sienna  marble, 
are  enriched  by  pilasters  similar  to  the  columns  in  material  and  design.  They 
contain  niches,  which,  no  doubt,  at  some  future  time,  will  be  filled  with 
busts  of  the  ex-Vice-Presidents  whose  memories  are  not  already  commemorated 
in  other  niches  in  the  walls  of  the  Senate  wing. 

Senate  Bronze  Doors. — At  the  entrance  to  this  hallway  from  the  east- 
ern portico  of  the  wing  are  bronze  doors  designed  by  Crawford,  which  are 
said  to  be  the  first  work  of  the  character  cast  in  this  country, — at  Chicopee, 
Massachusetts,  by  James  T.  Ames,  in  1868.  The  plaster  models  were  ex- 
ecuted in  Rome  by  William  H.  Rinehart.  The  designs  of  the  panels  relate 
to  events  in  the  Revolutionary  war  arid  the  life  of  General  Washington. 
There  are  three  panels  and  a  medallion  on  each  door.  The  top  panel  on  the 
north  door  represents  the  death  of  General  Warren  at  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill.  Below  it  is  the  rebuke  of  General  Charles  Lee  by  General  Washington 
at  the  battle  of  Monmouth,  New  Jersey.  The  lowest  panel  depicts  the  storm- 
ing of  the  redoubt  at  Yorktown  by  Alexander  Hamilton.  The  medallion  at  the 
bottom  shows  a  conflict  between  a  Hessian  soldier  and  a  New  Jersey  farmer. 
The  corresponding  medallion  on  the  south  leaf  of  the  doors  represents 
Peace  and  Agriculture.  Above  this  is  General  Washington  passing  beneath  an 
arch  of  flowers  at  Trenton,  New  Jersey,  while  on  his  way  to  New  York  city  to 
be  inaugurated  first  President  of  the  United  States.  The  middle  panel  repre- 
sents Washington  taking  the  oath  of  office,  administered  by  Chancellor  Liv- 
ingston. As  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  was  not  organized 
until  September  of  the  same  year,  the  Chief  Justice  could  not  officiate ;  and 
this  established  the  precedent  whereby  a  President-elect  can  be  sworn  into 
office,  in  case  of  necessity,  by  another  than  the  chief  of  that  Court.  The 
top  panel  shows  the  laying  of  the  original  corner-stone  of  the  Capitol  by 
Washington,  with  Masonic  rites,  on  the  i8th  of  September,  1793.  The  weight 
of  these  doors  is  14,000  pounds.  Their  total  cost  has  been  $56,495.11,  more 
than  double  the  cost  of  the  Rogers  doors  with  which  they  are  in  no  way  com- 
parable. Of  this  sum,  $6,000  went  to  Crawford,  the  artist ;  the  balance  for 
the  casting,  materials,  etc. 

Above  the  doors,  in  the  portico,  is  a  high  relief  in  marble,  representing 
two  reclining  female  figures.  This  was  executed  in  Italy  from  designs  of 
Crawford,  for  which  he  received  $3,000.  The  figure  to  the  right  with  the 


SENATE    BRONZE    DOORS 


The  National  Capitol 


167 


FORMER  DISTRICT  OF  COLUMBIA  COMMITTEE  ROOM 


scales  is  Justice;  upon  her  book  is  inscribed  "Justice  Law  Order."  Upon 
the  scroll  held  by  the  figure  to  the  left  is  written  "  History  July  1776." 

Committee  on  the  District  of  Columbia. — The  door  to  the  north 
within  the  entrance  leads  to  the  abode  of  the  Committee  on  the  District  of 
Columbia.  To  bespeak  the  beauty  of  this  District  room,  it  is  necessary  only 
to  say  that  it  was  decorated  by  Brumidi's  brush.  Four  groups  in  fresco  sym- 
bolize History,  Physics,  Geography  and  the  Telegraph. 

Statue  of  Franklin. — The  entrance  hallway  connects  with  a  corridor, 
from  which  ascends  a  grand  staircase  built  entirely  of  Tennessee  marble.  At  its 
foot  is  a  well-conceived  though  passive  statue  of  Benjamin  Franklin  by  Hiram 
Powers,  whose  "  Greek  Slave  "  has  given  him  world-wide  fame.  Ten  thousand 
dollars  were  paid  for  the  statue.  The  simplicity  of  the  dress  worn  by  the 
Revolutionary  diplomat  recalls  the  amusing  debate,  on  March  25,  1876,  in 
the  House  of  Representatives  upon  costumes  to  be  worn  by  persons  in  the 
diplomatic  service  of  the  United  States,  and  the  amendment  offered  by  Mr. 


168  The  National  Capitol 

Noell :  "  The  uniform  prescribed  by  this  act  shall  be  as  follows  :  cocked  hat 
looped  up  with  the  American  eagle  ;  swallow-tail  coat  with  the  stars  and  stripes 
upon  the  tail,  and  the  words  marked  in  worsted  'Protective  Tariff';  but- 
ternut pantaloons,  closely  fitting;  yellow  stockings  with  garters  a  la  Franklin; 
round  toed  shoes  of  the  latest  Lowel*  fashions ;  buckskin  vest,  one  side  black 
and  the  other  white,  indicative  of  no  distinction  on  account  of  color;  pinch- 
beck breastpin  with  inscription,  'Economy  is  wealth.'  " 

Battle  of  Lake  Erie. — On  the  wall  above  the  landing  of  the  staircase 
is  the  celebrated  picture  by  W.  H.  Powell,  known  as  the  Battle  of  Lake  Erie, 
fought  at  Put-In  Bay  on  the  loth  of  September,  1813,  during  our  second  war 
with  Great  Britain.  It  represents  Oliver  Hazard  Perry  in  the  midst  of  the  battle 
as  he  leaves  the  disabled  flag-ship  Lawrence,  in  the  foreground,  to  transfer 
his  battle-flag  to  the  Niagara,  upon  the  right,  in  order  to  renew  the  fight. 
Through  lack  of  wind,  the  Lawrence  had  been  compelled  alone  to  engage 
almost  the  entire  British  fleet,  especially  the  Detroit  and  Qtieen  Charlotte, 
and  had  quickly  become  disabled  under  the  tremendous  fire  to  which  she 
was  exposed.  As  a  daring  resort,  Perry  hauled  down  his  Union  Jack, 
having  for  its  motto  the  dying  words  of  the  beloved  Lawrence,  "  Don't  give  up 
the  ship,"  and  taking  it  over  his  arm,  ordered  a  boat  made  ready.  The  Eng- 
lish Commodore,  anticipating  a  surrender,  signalled  his  men  to  cease  firing. 
But  when  he  saw  Perry  emerging  from  the  smoke,  standing  boldly  erect  among 
his  oarsmen  and  heading  fearlessly  for  the  Niagara,  Barclay  divined  his 
object  and  ordered  the  fire  of  the  fleet  to  be  centered  upon  the  little  craft. 
Perry  miraculously  made  the  passage  in  safety — occupying  a  period  of  some 
minutes — in  the  very  teeth  of  the  broadsides  and  small  arms  turned  upon  him, 
hoisted  his  flag  at  the  masthead  of  the  Niagara,  renewed  the  fight,  and  cap- 
tured the  English  fleet.  This  is  the  only  instance  in  her  history  when  England 
lost  an  entire  fleet,  and  it  surrendered  to  a  man  of  twenty-seven.  It  was  on 
this  occasion  that  Perry  sent  the  celebrated  dispatch  to  the  general  in  com- 
mand of  the  American  Army  of  the  Northwest,  William  Henry  Harrison  : 

U.  S.  BRIG   NIAGARA, 
September  loth,  1813  ;  4  P.M. 
J)ear  General : — 

We  have  met  the  enemy  and  they  are  ours  :  two  Ships,  two  Brigs,  one  Schooner  and 
one  Sloop.  Yours,  with  great  respect  and  esteem, 

O.  H.  PERRY. 

Powell,  in  painting  the  picture,  selected  for  some  of  his  models  men 
employed  in  various  capacities  about  the  Capitol.  The  face  of  the  sailor 
with  his  head  bound  and  blood  streaming  from  it  is  that  of  Captain  John 
Decker,  for  many  years  "  boss  rigger  "  of  the  building.  The  chief  interest 
in  the  picture  arises  from  its  dramatic  qualities.  As  a  marine  painting  it  is 


The  National  Capitol 


169 


not  great.  The  perspective  of  the  ships  in  the  background  is  unmistakably 
bad.  The  whole  picture  gives  the  effect  of  a  toy  battle.  The  men  in  the 
boat,  instead  of  being  begrimed  with  smoke  and  oil  and  powder,  are  fresh  as 
if  on  dress  parade.  The  coloring,  too,  is  unnatural.  Yet,  in  spite  of  many 
technical  incongruities  and  undoubted  weakness  in  artistic  expression,  the 
picture  has  a  charm  which  holds  the  attention  as  fixed  as  any  which  hangs 
upon  the  walls  of  the  Capitol.  This  charm  lies  in  the  romance  which  encir- 
cles Perry's  name  as  the  "  Hero  of  Lake  Erie,"  and  in  the  sympathy  awakened 
by  the  tender  bit  of  pathos  admirably  portrayed  by  the  artist  in  the  boy- 
brother*  tugging  at  the  Commodore's  sleeve.  There  is  one  bit  of  painting  in 


BATTLE   OF   LAKE   ERIE 


the  picture  of  the  highest  order  of  excellence  :  it  is  the  flag  which  floats  from 
the  small  boat.  That  flag  really  feels  the  battle  breeze.  The  sum  of  $25,000 
was  appropriated  by  Congress  for  the  work. 

Recall  of  Columbus. — On  the  wall  above  and  opposite  the  Battle  of 
Lake  Erie  hangs  a  painting  which  commands  the  admiration  of  artists.  Its 
title  is  the  Recall  of  Columbus.  This  picture  is  by  A.  O.  Heaton  of  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.,  and  was  bought  by  the  government  in  1884  for  $3,000.  It 
was  completed  in  Paris  from  studies  made  at  the  scene  of  the  event,  near 
Granada,  Spain,  and  represents  the  turning  point  in  the  career  of  the  great 

*J.  Alexander  Perry,  warranted  1811  ;  commissioned  as  Lieutenant  April  I,  1822; 
drowned  in  an  attempt  to  save  a  sinking  officer.  At  the  time  of  the  battle  he  was  a  second 
Aid  to  the  Commodore,  being  then  thirteen  years  old.  Another  brother,  Matthew 
Calbraith  Perry,  organized  and  commanded  the  expedition  to  Japan  ;  delivered  the  Presi- 
dent's letter  of  July  14,  1853  ;  and  on  the  3ist  of  March,  1854,  signed  the  treaty  of  peace. 


1 70  The  National  Capitol 

.  discoverer.  As  narrated  by  Washington  Irving,  Columbus,  at  nearly  sixty 
years  of  age,  made  his  last  appeal  for  aid  to  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  then  in 
their  camp  at  Santa  Fe;  and  being  refused,  started,  discouraged  but  not 
defeated,  to  seek  help  from  the  sovereign  of  France.  After  his  departure, 
Isabella  was  urged  by  Columbus'  friends  to  reconsider  his  cause  in  the  inter- 
est of  religious  propagation  as  well  as  of  national  glory  and  aggrandizement. 
Her  zealous  spirit  yielded  at  last  to  their  eloquence ;  and,  determined,  if 
necessary,  to  sacrifice  her  jewels,  she  dispatched  a  messenger  in  haste  after 
Columbus,  who  was  overtaken  in  his  journey  at  the  bridge  of  Pinos,  midway 
between  Santa  Fe  and  Granada.  The  picture  represents  this  eventful  moment 


RECALL   OF  COLUMBUS 

in  Columbus'  life.  With  halted  mule,  he  receives  the  communication  of  the 
shrewdly  courteous  messenger,  who  has  dismounted  from  one  of  the  spirited 
blue-black  steeds  of  Andalusia.  The  disappointments  of  years  yield  to  the 
sweet  whispers  of  renewed  hojpe ;  yet  the  lessons  of  experience  and  an  in- 
born dignity  still  control  his  countenance.  He  raises  his  cap  not  more  in 
exultation  than  in  courtly  salute  to  the  royal  messenger.  A  mounted  com- 
panion,is  less  reserved  in  his  curiosity;  and  a  muleteer,  half  suspicious  of  an 
interrupted  journey,  restrains  one  of  the  pack  of  mules  he  is  leading,  while 
mechanically  covering  a  pannier,  suggestive  of  the  discoverer's  mission.  At 
the  roadside,  an  old  gipsy  gazes  stoically  upon  the  scene,  while  a  little  child 
by  him  shrinks  closer  in  fear  of  the  restive  horse  of  the  messenger. 

It  is  claimed  for  the  artist  that  in  his  work  he  has  devoted  the  utmost 
study  to  details.  The  face  of  Columbus  is  the  result  of  a  close  comparison 
of  one  actual,  and  many  reputed,  likenesses  in  painting  and  engraving  at 


The  National  Capitol  171 

Madrid,  and  in  sculpture  and  mosaic  at  Genoa,  Columbus'  birthplace,  with 
regard  also  to  the  descriptive  verses  of  a  contemporary  Spanish  poet.  The 
mule  studies  were  made  in  Spain  and  from  animals  in  the  stables  of  the 
ex-queen  of  Spain,  in  Paris.  The  costumes  and  trappings  are  characteristic 
of  the  country  and  epoch,  and  the  landscape  suggests  the  mild  winter  day  of 
southern  Spain. 

Morau  Paintings,  etc. — On  the  north  and  south  walls  of  the  lobby  east 
of  the  central  eastern  gallery  of  the  Senate  Chamber  are  two  famous  land- 
scapes by  Thomas  Moran,  known  as  the  Grand  Canon  of  the  Yellowstone  and 
the  Chasm  of  the  Colorado.  These  pictures,  purchased  for  $10,000  each, 
were  painted  from  sketches  made  by  the  artist  in  the  field,  and  do  not  over- 
elaborate  in  color  the  magnificence  of  the  scenes  which  they  portray.  The 
poetry  of  the  clouds,  the  poetry  of  the  rocks,  the  poetry  of  the  torrents  and 
the  poetry  of  the  caflons  are  naturally  told.  The  theme  of  the  pictures  is 
Nature  in  her  grandest  form,  and  the  wonder  is  that  the  brush  could  realize 
it  at  all.  It  is  interesting  to  seek  the  grizzly  bear  in  the  picture  of  the 
Yellowstone. 

Portraits  of  Daniel  Webster  and  Henry  Clay  adorn  the  western  wall.  These 
are  by  the  portrait  painter,  H.  F.  Darby.  The  three  marble  busts  are  of 
Charles  Sumner,  by  Martin  Milmore;  of  Garibaldi,  the  Italian  apostle  of 
freedom,  by  Martequana ;  and  of  an  Indian  chief.  A  portrait  of  John  C. 
Calhoun,  also  by  Darby,  hangs  high  upon  the  eastern  wall. 

Electoral  Commission. — On  the  eastern  wall  of  the  lobby  of  the  Senate 
gallery,  above  the  reception  room,  is  an  interesting  picture  by  Cornelia  Adele 
Fassett,  painted  from  life  in  1877-78.  It  represents  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant scenes  in  the  history  of  the  United  States — the  presentation  of  the  Florida 
Case  before  the  Electoral  Commission  on  February  5,  1877,  in  the  present 
Supreme  Court  chamber.  William  M.  Evarts  of  New  York  is  addressing  the 
Commission  on  behalf  of  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  the  Republican  candidate  for 
President. 

The  Commission  consisted  of  five  members  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States,  four  of  whom  were  appointed  by  the  President  and  the  fifth 
chosen  by  these  four  ;  of  five  members  of  the  Senate,  elected  by  that 
body;  and  of  five  members  of  the  House,  similarly  chosen.  The  eyes  of  all 
the  people  of  the  nation  were  upon  these  fifteen  men.  They  were  to  deter- 
mine the  validity  of  the  electoral  votes  from  Florida,  Louisiana,  Oregon  and 
South  Carolina,  from  which  States  two  distinct  sets  of  returns  had  been 
received  by  the  President  of  the  Senate.  On  their  decision  hung  the  ques- 
tion whether  Hayes  or  Til  den  should  be  President  of  the  United  States. 

Though  the  honesty  of  the  Commission  has  never  been  doubted  except  in 
the  heat  of  partisan  expression,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  no  one,  even  of 
the  five  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court,  voted  otherwise  than  according  to  his 


172 


The   National   Capitol 


(a  4&ra.  ^asstfTs  gitfmt. 

THE  ELECTORAL  COMMISSION. 


life-long  political  convictions ;  and  a  member  of  the  present  bench  has  been 
heard  to  tell  with  great  unction  how  a  much  respected  judge,  who  sat  on 
the  Commission  and  who  never  had  a  dishonest  thought  in  his  life,  remarked 
seriously  to  a  brother  justice  that  the  members  of  the  party  to  which  he  did 
not  belong  had  voted  according  to  their  partisan  convictions — seemingly  totally 
unconscious  at  the  time  of  the  fact  that  the  members  of  his  own  party  had 
been  equally  true  to  their  party  affiliations. 


The  National  Capitol  i?5 

The  picture  cost  the  government  $7,500,  and  will  continue  to  grow  more 
and  more  valuable  because  of  the  admirable  collection  of  portraits  which  it 
contains. 

The  First  Fight  of  Ironclads. — On  the  opposite  wall  hangs  a  naval 
painting  of  the  battle  between  the  Monitor  and  the  Merrimac,  that  marvel 
of  history  which  took  place  in  Hampton  Roads,  March  9,  1862.  The 
artist,  W.  F.  Halsall,  who  received  $7,500  for  the  work,  is  said  to  have  inter- 
viewed in  person  or  by  letter  some  five  hundred  eye-witnesses  of  the  fight; 
and,  consequently,  this  is  probably  the  most  perfect  representation  of  the 
famous  meeting  of  the  ironclads  in  existence.  The  Virginia,  as  she  was 
rated  in  the  Confederate  navy,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  the  old  United 
States  sloop-of-war  Merrimac,  which  had  been  sunk  at  the  Norfolk  Navy  Yard 
during  the  early  part  of  the  war.  She  had  been  raised  by  the  Confederates, 
and  plated  with  railroad  rails.  These  were  placed  in  a  slanting  position 
according  to  the  designs  of  Lieutenant  John  M.  Brooke  of  the  Confederate 
navy,  so  that  a  ball  or  solid  shot  striking  above  the  water  line  would  be  de- 
flected. Her  superiority  over  the  ordinary  United  States  sloops-of-war  and 
frigates  was  demonstrated  on  her  first  day's  engagement.  Inferior  as  she 
proved  to  be  to  the  Northern  invention,  the  Merrimac  alone  could  then  have 
mastered  any  fleet  afloat,  foreign  or  American. 

"  Having  sunk  the  Cumberland"  writes  S.  S.  Cox,  "  the  Virginia 
turns  upon  the  Congress,  which  is  already  hotly  engaged  with  the  gun-boats 
attendant  on  the  ironclad.  The  commanding  officer  of  the  Congress  has 
witnessed  the  fate  of  the  Cumberland.  He  heads  for  shoal  water  —  and 
grounds  !  The  Virginia  now  selects  a  raking  position  astern  of  the  Con- 
gress, while  one  of  the  smaller  steamers  pours  in  a  constant  fire  on  her  star- 
board quarter.  Two  other  steamers  of  the  enemy  approach  from  the  James 
River,  also  firing  upon  the  unfortunate  frigate  with  precision  and  severe  effect. 
The  guns  of  the  Congress  are  almost  entirely  disabled,  and  her  gallant 
commanding  officer,  young  Lieutenant  Joseph  B.  Smith,  has  fallen  at  his 
post.  Her  decks  are  strewn  with  the  dead  and  the  dying,  the  ship  is  on  fire  in 
several  places,  and  not  a  gun  can  be  brought  to  bear  upon  the  assailants.  In 
this  state  of  things  and  with  no  effectual  relief  at  hand,  the  senior  surviving 
officer,  Lieutenant  Pendergrast,  feels  it  his  duty  to  save  further  useless  destruc- 
tion of  life  by  hauling  down  his  colors.  This  is  done  about  four  o'clock, 
P.M.  The  Congress  continues  to  burn  until  about  eight  in  the  evening, 
then  she  blows  up.  When  word  comes  to  the  Navy  Department  that  the 
Congress  hauled  down  her  colors,  the  brave  old  Commodore  Smith  imme- 
diately says  in  deep  emotion  :  '  Then  Joe  is  dead.'  His  boy  went  down  with 
the  ship." 

The  Monitor  or  "Yankee  cheese-box  on  a  raft,"  as  it  was  contemp- 
tuously called  by  the  Confederates,  was  designed  by  John  Ericsson,  though 


176  The  National  Capitol 

Timby,  an  American  boy  of  nineteen,  had  twenty  years  before  invented  the 
revolving  turret.  She  had  arrived  from  New  York  during  the  night  following 
the  battle,  and  when,  on  Sunday  morning,  the  Merrimac  renewed  the  attack  on 
the  steam  frigate  Minnesota,  appeared  from  behind  that  vessel,  and  from  her 
turret  began  a  furious  cannonade.  The  late  Rear-Admiral  John  Lorimer 
Worden,  who  was  commanding  in  the  pilot-house,  was  stunned  and  partially 
blinded  during  the  engagement.  The  picture  represents  the  Merrimac  in  the 
act  of  attempting  to  run  down  the  smaller  vessel.  Disabled  from  the  can- 
nonade and  the  futile  attempt  to  ram  the  Monitor,  Lieutenant-Commander 
Jones  is  compelled  to  retreat  to  the  shelter  of  the  batteries  at  Sewell's  Point. 
In  the  following  May,  the  Merrimac  was  blown  up  by  the  Confederates  to 
prevent  her  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Yankees ;  in  December,  the  Monitor 
was  lost  off  Cape  Hatteras. 

This  historical  picture  is  undoubtedly  worthy  of  the  place  it  holds  on  the 
walls  of  the  Capitol,  and  of  the  attention  it  receives  from  the  visiting  public. 
It  is  noticeable  as  the  only  painting  in  the  Capitol  of  a  scene  in  the  late 
Rebellion ;  and  even  it  to-day  awakens  rather  a  spirit  of  national  pride  that 
the  naval  warfare  of  the  world  was  revolutionized  by  the  American  inventive 
genius,  here  displayed,  than  any  narrow  feeling  of  sectionalism. 

Portraits  of  Lincoln,  Garfleld,  Suinner  and  E>ix. — To  the  right 
and  left  of  the  picture  of  the  Electoral  Commission  hang  two  remarkable 
mosaics,  of  Abraham  Lincoln  and  James  A.  Garfield.  They  were  made  by 
Salviati,  of  Florence,  Italy,  and  by  him  presented  to  the  government  after 
the  deaths  of  its  two  martyred  Presidents.  On  the  walls  of  this  room  hang 
also  portraits  by  Ingalls  and  Morrell,  respectively,  of  Charles  Sumner,  Senator 
from  Massachusetts,  and  of  John  Adams  Dix  of  New  York,  who,  when  Sec- 
retary of  the  Treasury,  on  January  29,  1 86 1,  wrote  the  famous  words:  "If 
any  one  attempts  to  haul  down  the  American  flag,  shoot  him  on  the  spot." 

Senate  Document  Rooms. — Opening  off  the  southern  corridor  of  the 
gallery  floor  is  a  crowded,  littered  and  irregular  suite  of  rooms  known  as  the 
Senate  document  rooms.  These  lie  in  the  upper  story  of  the  annex  as  well 
as  that  of  the  old  north  wing.  They  are  connected  with  the  main  hallway 
below  by  a  winding  staircase  in  the  rear,  by  which  only  access  can  be  secured 
during  the  executive  sessions  of  the  Senate.  Amzi  Smith  is  in  charge.  He 
has  acquired  such  a  wonderful  knowledge  of  the  legislation  of  Congress,  and 
has  become  of  such  invaluable  service,  that  his  own  name  is  incorporated  by 
Congress  iri  each  appropriation  act,  so  that  no  other  person  can  be  appointed 
•in  his  place. 

Senate  Chamber. — An  excellent  view  of  the  Senate  Chamber  is  to  be 
had  from  any  one  of  its  galleries,  the  seating  capacity  of  which  is  690  per- 
sons. The  chamber  is  rectangular  in  shape,  being  113  feet  3  inches  in  length, 
80  feet  3  inches  in  width  and  36  feet  in  height.  The  hall  and  its  adjoining 


The  National  Capitol 


SENATE   CHAMBER 


private  lobbies  are  richly  furnished.  The  Vice-President  of  the  United 
States,  who,  as  part  of  his  Constitutional  duties,  presides  over  the  Senate, 
occupies  the  chair  upon  the  rostrum  in  the  center  to  the  north.  On  his  right 
sits  the  Sergeant-at-Arms  ;  on  his  left,  the  Doorkeeper.  The  long  table  before 
the  chair  is  for  the  use  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate,  the  reading  clerks,  the 
chief  clerk  and  the  journal  clerk.  The  small  mahogany  tables  in  front  of  the 
Secretary's  table  are  devoted  to  the  official  stenographers,  who  report  all 
debates  and  other  proceedings,  otherwise  than  during  executive  sessions,  that 
take  place  upon  the  floor  of  the  Senate.  The  center  aisle  customarily  divides 
the  seats  occupied  by  the  two  great  political  parties.  On  the  right  of  the 
presiding  officer  sit  the  Democrats;  upon  his  left,  the  Republicans.  Third- 
party  men  usually  sit  upon  the  side  of  the  chamber  where  their  affiliations  have 
theretofore  been.  The  Senators'  desks  all  conform  to  the  same  general  model 


1 78  The  National  Capitol 

in  appearance,  though  many  of  them  are  very  old,  having  been  brought  from 
the  former  chamber. 

Decorations. — The  glass  ceiling  of  this  chamber  is  adorned  with  symbol- 
isms of  War,  Peace,  Union  and  Progress,  and  of  the  arts,  sciences  and 
industries.  The  panels  are  buff-colored,  and  the  walls  themselves  decorated 
with  gold  arabesques  on  delicate  tints.  The  portrait  oi  George  Washington 
by  R.  Peale  of  New  York  was  originally  purchased  for  the  Senate  Chamber, 
according  to  the  resolution  of  July  2,  1832,  as  reported  by  Mr.  Frelinghuy- 
sen.  The  taste  of  the  modern  Senate,  however,  excludes  all  such  decorations ; 
for  on  the  i5th  of  February,  1884,  upon  the  motion  of  Mr.  Cockrell,  it  was 
unanimously  resolved  "  that  no  paintings  or  portraits  be  placed  upon  the  walls 
of  the  Senate  Chamber."  The  set  of  marble  busts  of  the  ex-Vice-Presidents, 
authorized  on  May  13,  1886.  in  amending  a  resolution  introduced  by  Mr. 
Ingalls  of  Kansas,  to  be  placed  from  time  to  time  in  the  vacant  niches  of 
the  Senate  wing  by  the  Architect  of  the  Capitol,  subject  to  the  advice  and 
approval  of  the  Senate  Committee  on  the  Library,  is  still  incomplete. 

Notable  Events. — The  Vice-President-elect  takes  the  oath  of  office, 
customarily  administered  by  the  Vice-President,  just  preceding  the  inaugura- 
tion of  the  President.  This  ceremony  takes  place  in  the  Senate  Chamber, 
over  which  he  is  to  preside,  in  the  presence  of  the  President,  President-elect, 
Senate  and  House.  The  Presidential  party  then  proceed  to  the  platform, 
prepared  to  the  east  of  the  Capitol,  for  the  inaugural  exercises.  In  this 
chamber  also,  all  treaties  made  by  the  United  States  with  foreign  powers 
are  ratified,  and  nominations  for  appointments  made  by  the  President  con- 
firmed. Here,  near  the  close  of  the  Rebellion  and  during  the  reconstruction 
period,  the  Senate  hotly  debated  the  i3th,  i4th  and  i5th  Amendments  of 
the  Constitution,  before  they  were  submitted  by  Congress  to  the  Legislatures 
of  the  States. 

Baker's  Speech. — In  this  Senate  Chamber,  Edward  Dickinson  Baker, 
the  Senator-soldier  from  Oregon,  delivered  the  brilliant  speech  which  proved 
to  be  his  last  utterance  upon  the  floor  of  Congress.  "  With  a  zeal  that 
never  tired,"  writes  Mr.  Sumner  of  his  brother  Senator,  "  after  recruiting  men 
drawn  by  the  attraction  of  his  name,  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia  and  else- 
where, he  held  his  brigade  [known  as  the  California  Regiment]  in  camp,  near 
the  Capitol,  so  that  he  passed  easily  from  one  to  the  other,  and  thus  alternated 
the  duties  of  a  Senator  and  a  General."  On  the  afternoon  of  August  i,  1861, 
ten  days  after  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run,  Mr.  Baker  had  entered  in  the  full 
uniform  of  a  colonel  of  the  United  States  army,  and  with  his  sword  laid 
across  his  desk  was  listening  to  the  debate,  when  John  C.  Breckenridge,  still  in 
the  Senate,  took  the  floor  and  began  to  speak  with  the  poignancy  of  which  he 
was  master  against  the  Insurrection  and  Sedition  bill.  The  soldier's  eyes 
flashed  fire  as  he  heard  the  words  of  the  brilliant  Kentuckian,  and  upon  the 


The  National  Capitol  179 

completion  of  the  speech,  his  voice  rang  out  in  answer  and  denunciation. 
"  What  would  have  been  thought,"  he  said,  "  if,  in  another  Capitol,  in  a  yet 
more  martial  age,  a  senator,  with  the  Roman  purple  flowing  from  his  shoul- 
ders, had  risen  in  his  place,  surrounded  by  all  the  illustrations  of  Roman 
glory,  and  declared  that  advancing  Hannibal  was  just,  and  that  Carthage 
should  be  dealt  with  on  terms  of  peace  ?  What  would  have  been  thought,  if, 
after  the  battle  of  Cannae,  a  senator  had  denounced  every  levy  of  the  Roman 
people,  every  expenditure  of  its  treasure,  every  appeal  to  the  old  recollec- 
tions and  the  old  glories  ?  "  Mr.  Fessenden,  sitting  by  Mr.  Baker,  broke  out 
in  an  audible  undertone:  "  He  would  have  been  hurled  from  the  Tarpeian 
Rock  !  "  This  incited  the  orator  to  more  powerful  utterance.  "  Are  not  the 
speeches  of  the  Senator  from  Kentucky  intended  for  disorganization  ?  are 
they  not  intended  to  destroy  our  zeal  ?  are  they  not  intended  to  animate  our 
enemies  ?  Sir,  are  they  not  words  of  brilliant,  polished  treason,  even  in  the 
very  Capitol  of  the  Republic  ?" 

The  handsome  face,  the  gallant  figure,  the  rich  uniform,  the  earnestness 
of  the  impromptu  reply  and  the  fact  that  the  smoke  of  the  guns  of  war  was 
still  in  the  air,  all  combined  to  inspire  the  orator  with  a  patriotic  eloquence 
which  makes  the  occasion  remembered  to-day  as  one  of  the  most  dramatic  and 
effective  in  modern  times.  Within  three  months,  while  gallantly  leading  a 
charge  at  Ball's  Bluff,  the  orator's  voice  was  stilled  forever. 

Impeachment  of  Andrew  Johnson. — Here  occurred  the  most  famous 
impeachment  trial  in  the  history  of  the  American  Republic.  On  February 
21,  1868,  Mr.  Covode  of  Pennsylvania  moved  the  following  resolution  in 
the  House  of  Representatives  :  "  Resolved,  That  Andrew  Johnson,  President 
of  the  United  States,  be  impeached  of  high  crimes  and  misdemeanors." 
It  was  carried  by  an  almost  strictly  party  vote  of  126  to  47.  On  the  5th 
of  March,  the  Senate  was  organized  as  a  court  of  impeachment,  and  Salmon 
P.  Chase  took  the  chair  in  accordance  with  the  Constitutional  provision 
that  "  When  the  President  of  the  United  States  is  tried  the  Chief  Justice 
shall  preside."  The  court  was  formally  opened  for  the  great  trial  on 
the  1 3th,  but  fortunately  one  black  page  in  American  history  need  not  be 
written;  for  the  final  vote  on  the  26th  of  May  resulted  in  35  for  conviction 
and  19  for  acquittal.  As  a  two-thirds  vote  is  required  by  the  Constitution  to 
convict  in  such  cases,  the  President  was  acquitted  by  one  vote.  His  counsel 
were  Henry  Stanbery,  Benjamin  R.  Curtis,  Thomas  A.  R.  Nelson,  Jeremiah 
S.  Black  and  William  M.  Evarts. 

|III|M-;K  Inm-nt  of  Belknap. — On  Tuesday,  April  4,  1876,  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  President  Grant,  the  managers  of  the  impeachment  on  the 
part  of  the  House  of  Representatives  appeared  at  the  bar  of  the  Senate ;  and 
after  the  proper  introductory  ceremony,  Mr.  Manager  Lord  read  the  "  Articles 
exhibited  by  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States  of  America 


i8o 


The  National  Capitol 


against  William  W.  Belknap,  late  Secretary  of  War,  in  maintenance  and  sup- 
port of  their  impeachment  against  him  for  high  crimes  and  misdemeanors 
while  in  said  office."  Belknap  was  charged  with  having  received  a  large 
sum  of  money  for  appointing  John  S.  Evans  to  maintain  a  trading  establish- 
ment at  Fort  Sill,  a  military  post. 

The  questions  of  law  raised  during  the  long  trial  were  most  interesting, 
and  bespeak  the  ability  and  adroitness  of  defendant's  counsel,  J.  S.  Black, 
Montgomery  Blair  and  Matthew  H.  Carpenter.  As  Belknap  had  resigned 

his  commission  as  Secretary  of  War, 
and  at  the  time  of  impeachment 
was  a  private  citizen  of  the  United 
States  and  of  the  State  of  Iowa,  it 
was  claimed  on  his  behalf  that  he 
was  not  liable  to  impeachment,  and 
that  the  Senate  was  without  jurisdic- 
tion. The  trial  was  not  determined 
until  Tuesday,  August  ist,  when  a 
vote  was  taken  on  each  article  sepa- 
rately. No  one  of  the  impeach- 
ment charges  being  sustained  by  a 
two-thirds  vote  of  the  Senators,  the 
respondent  was  acquitted.  A  sup- 
posed sub-strata  of  social  intrigue 
sharpened  the  public  interest  in  this 
case. 

Eulogies. — As  in  the  House, 
days  are  set  apart  in  the  Senate  for 
eulogies  to  be  pronounced  upon  dis- 
tinguished dead.  In  some  cases  the 
honor  has  been  much  more  marked. 

The  remains  of  Chief  Justice  Chase,  on  May  12,  1873,  were  sadly  borne 
through  the  Rogers  bronze  doors,  draped  in  black,  and  the  casket  immedi- 
ately taken  to  the  Supreme  Court  chamber  and  placed  upon  the  Lincoln  bier, 
• — the  head  towards  the  chair  lately  occupied  by  the  departed.  The  casket 
was  not  open  to  the  public.  This  chamber,  however,  was  thought  too  small 
for  the  exercises,  and  the  remains  were  affectionately  borne  by  the  old 
colored  servants  of  the  Court  into  the  more  spacious  hall  of  the  Senate. 
The  officiating  clergy,  led  by  Rev.  Dr.  Tiffany,  pastor  of  the  Metropolitan 
M.  E.  Church,  entered  in  advance.  All  wore  black  crape  sashes.  The  audi- 
ence respectfully  arose  as  the  procession  entered.  Dr.  Tiffany  began  the 
funeral  services  while  the  casket  was  being  placed  before  the  Vice-President's 
desk.  President  Grant  and  his  Cabinet  entered  through  the  central  doors,  the 


The  National  Capitol  181 

Executive  occupying  the  end  seat  on  the  aisle  to  the  left  of  the  chair.  The 
Cabinet  sat  upon  his  right.  The  pall-bearers  took  seats  upon  the  right  of  the 
Vice-President.  Behind  them  sat  Senator  and  Mrs.  Sprague. 

The  Congressional  funeral  ceremonies  in  honor  of  Charles  Sumner  were 
held  in  this  room  at  noon,  March  13,  1874.  The  remains  were  brought 
thither  from  the  rotunda,  where  they  had  rested  in  state  from  an  early  morning 
hour  open  to  the  view  of  the  hosts  of  friends  of  the  beloved  Massachusetts 
Senator.  "  Since  the  inauguration  of  Grant,"  said  the  Star,  "  there  has  been 
no  event  which  has  drawn  to  the  Capitol  such  a  vast  assembly  of  spectators." 
The  pall-bearers  were  Senators  Anthony,  Schurz,  Sargeant,  Oglesby,  Stockton 
and  McCreery. 

Charles  Willson  Peale's  Washington. — At  the  head  of  the  western 
staircase  leading  to  the  Senate  galleries  is  a  full-length  painting  of  George 
Washington.  On  it  we  read:  "  C.  W.  Peale,  pinx !  Philadelphia  1779." 
It  was  commenced  in  1778,  when  Washington  was  forty-six  years  of  age,  while 
the  army  lay  starving  in  their  frozen  camp  at  Valley  Forge,  but  was  not  finished 
until  after  the  battles  of  Trenton,  Princeton  and  Monmouth.  At  the  last 
place,  Washington  suggested  to  the  artist,  himself  a  captain  of  volunteers  in 
the  Revolution,  that  he  would  find  a  good  background  for  the  picture  in  the 
view  from  the  window  of  the  farm-house  where  they  were  then  sitting.  Peale 
accordingly  added  Monmouth  Court  House  and  a  party  of  Hessians  leaving  it 
under  guard  of  the  American  troops.  Old  Nassau  College  at  Princeton,  where 
the  picture  was  finished,  also  appears. 

This  painting  was  ordered  by  a  resolution  of  the  Continental  Congress. 
That  body  adjourned,  however,  without  making  the  appropriation  for  its  pur- 
chase. A  replica  was  executed,  under  a  commission  from  Lafayette,  for  Louis 
XVI.,  which  is  now  at  Versailles.  The  original  painting  in  the  Capitol  also 
was  sent  to  France,  where  it  seems  to  have  been  sold  at  public  sale,  but  not 
for  the  benefit  of  the  artist.  It  became  the  property  of  Count  de  Menou, 
perhaps  under  the  delusion  that  it  was  the  court  picture.  He  brought  it  to 
America  when  he  was  charge"  a"  affaires  at  Washington,  and  placed  it  in  the 
National  Institute.  When  that  association  dissolved,  the  painting,  with  the 
other  treasures  then  deposited  in  the  Patent  Office,  found  a  home  in  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution.  In  1876,  it  was  temporarily  hung  in  the  Philadelphia 
Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  and,  later,  in  the  Corcoran  Art  Gallery.  The  Peale 
family  were  always  tenacious  of  their  claim  of  ownership ;  and,  as  the  Regents 
of  the  Smithsonian  could  find  no  record  to  the  contrary,  the  picture  was 
conceded  to  have  been  left  with  the  National  Institute  by  Count  de  Menou 
merely  for  safe  keeping.  The  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library,  finally  being 
convinced  of  its  authenticity  and  of  title  in  the  heirs  of  Peale,  purchased  it 
in  1882  of  Titian  Ramsay  Peale,  son  of  the  artist  and  assignee  of  the  estate 
of  Charles  B.  Calvert,  for  $5,000. 


GROUND   FLOOR 

Senate  Wing. — East  and  west  marble  stairways  lead  from  the  main  floor 
of  the  Senate  wing  to  the  ground  floor.  There  are  also  two  elevators,  and  two 
private  stairways,  whose  railings  are  artistically  wrought  in  bronze.  The  post- 
office  of  the- Senate  is  now  situated  in  the  northeast  corner.  Over  the  entrance 
to  this  room,  which  was  formerly  occupied  by  the  Committee  on  Patents,  is 
pictured  Robert  Fulton  upon  a  balcony  overlooking  the  Hudson  ;  in  the  dis- 
tance is  his  pioneer  steamboat,  the  Clermont,  and  beyond  are  the  Palisades.  The 
Senate  restaurant  occupies  the  space  east  of  the  main  corridor  of  the  Capitol, 
between  the  eastern  and  middle  corridors  of  the  wing.  Both  the  Senate  and 
House  restaurants  are  open  to  the  public,  as  well  as  to  Senators  and  Members. 

Decoration  of  the  Corridors. — The  corridors  are  noticeable  for  their 
decorations  in  fresco,  oils  and  "  lime."  Much  of  the  beauty  of  these  is 
lost,  however,  to  appreciative  eyes  because  of  the  bad  lighting.  Most  of  them 
were  painted  in  the  summer  months ;  for  the  Senators  and  Representatives 
strenuously  objected  to  the  presence  of  scaffolding  in  the  building  during 
sessions.  A  corps  of  artists  assisted  Brumidi  in  the  execution.  Each  was 
employed  for  his  excellence  in  a  particular  branch  of  art.  One  painted 
scroll-work  only ;  another  devoted  himself  to  animal  painting,  another  to  birds, 
another  to  flowers,  and  still  another  to  landscapes.  Some  bits  in  oil,  notably 
all  the  birds  and  small  insects,  are  attributed  to  Leslie,  an  American  painter. 
Brumidi  himself  painted  all  the  figures,  heads  and  groups,  besides  directing 
and  overseeing  the  entire  work.  Nothing  was  done  except  by  his  approval, 
and  all  the  designs,  in  drawing  as  well  as  color,  were  of  his  making.  In  these, 
Brumidi  deserves  praise  for  his-  use  of  animals.  They  have  too  long  been 
neglected  in  the  decorative  arts,  furnishing,  as  they  do,  such  exquisite  expres- 
sions of  life — that  one  element  necessary  to  the  good  and  beautiful  in  all 
human  effort  as  it  is  in  Divine. 

The  decorations  of  the  ceilings  of  some  of  the  committee  rooms  are  dis- 
temper. Unlike  in  fresco,  the  plaster  is  dry  when  the  colors  are  applied. 
These  are  ground  to  powder  and  mixed  with  water  and  glue  to  make  them 
adhere  to  the  wall.  Unlike  in  fresco,  too,  it  is  not  necessary  for  the  artist  to 
restrict  himself  to  the  use  of  mineral  colors ;  the  range  of  the  palette  is  the 
same  as  in  oils. 

Many  of  the  walls  have  been  much  marred  by  being  scrubbed  with  sand 
soap;  but,  fortunately,  the  scrubbers  have  not  been  so  solicitous  for  the  cleanli- 


The  National  Capitol  183 

ness  of  Uncle  Sam's  property  as  to  extend  their  efforts  far  above  the  easy  reach 
of  the  arm.  All  things  have  their  use,  and  this  natural  antipathy  of  some  of  the 
colored  brethren  to  extended  labors  has  undoubtedly  been  a  blessing  to  the  art 
of  the  Capitol,  and  saved  much  of  the  painting  on  the  upper  walls  and  ceil- 
ings unimpaired.  Alas,  for  that  within  reach  !  These  decorations  should  be 
simply  dusted,  and  otherwise  untouched,  if  they  are  to  be  preserved. 

<  'ommittee  Rooms. — Near  the  northern  exit  to  the  terrace  are  frescoes 
of  the  great  American  jurists,  Kent  and  Story.  Above  some  of  the  com- 
mittee room  doors  Brumidi  has  painted  scenes  suggestive  of  their  occupants 
at  the  time.  Over  the  door  leading  to  the  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations, 
which  was  then  devoted  to  Post-Offices  and  Post  Roads,  is  Benjamin  Franklin, 
the  father  of  the  postal  system  in  this  country,  seated  in  his  laboratory. 
Above  the  door  directly  opposite  is  John  Fitch,  hard  at  work  upon  his  model 
of  a  steamboat.  Above  the  door  of  the  Committee  on  Post-Offices  and  Post 
Roads,  then  the  quarters  of  the  Committee  'on  Foreign  Relations,  the  artist 
has  painted  in  fresco  the  scene  of  the  signing  of  preliminary  articles  of  peace 
between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain,  at  Paris,  November  30,  1782, 
by  Richard  Oswald  on  behalf  of  Great  Britain  and  by  John  Adams,  Benjamin 
Franklin,  John  Jay  and  Henry  Laurens  on  behalf  of  the  United  States.  On 
the  walls  within  are  medallion  portraits  of  Clay,  Allen,  Cameron  and  Sumner, 
former  chairmen  of  the  committee. 

Over  the  door  of  the  room  occupied  by  the  Committee  on  Territories  is  a 
fresco  commemorative  of  the  cession  of  Louisiana  to  the  United  States  by 
France  in  1803.  The  entrance,  walls  and  ceiling  of  the  room  devoted  to 
the  Committee  on  Military  A  Hairs  are  graced  by  some  of  Brumidi's  good 
work.  Here  is  portrayed  in  fresco  Generals  Washington  and  Lafayette  in  con- 
sultation during  the  dark  days  of  Valley  Forge.  The  storming  of  Stony  Point 
by  Mad  Anthony  Wayne,  the  death  of  General  Wooster  at  Danbury,  Connecti- 
cut, the  Boston  Massacre  of  1770,  and  Major  Pitcairn  at  the  battle  of  Lex- 
ington, ordering  the  rebels  to  disperse,  also  are  graphically  told.  The  panels 
made  of  small-arms  are  noticeably  fine.  General  Logan,  as  chairman  of  the 
committee,  many  times  presided  in  this  room.  The  adjoining  chamber,  which 
was  at  one  time  the  home  of  the  Committee  on  Naval  Affairs,  is  richly  deco- 
rated, the  frescoes  on  its  ceiling  representing  Thetis,  Venus,  Amphitrite  and 
America.  The  room  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  corridor,  formerly  occupied  by 
the  Committee  on  Agriculture  and  now  the  headquarters  of  the  Committee  on 
Indian  Affairs,  bears  vine  and  fruit  pieces,  with  roguish  cupids  on  its  walls  and 
ceiling.  Above  its  entrance  is  a  fresco  of  Columbus  and  an  Indian  maiden,  one 
of  Brumidi's  most  unworthy  contributions.  Bartolome  de  Las  Casas,  the  apostle 
of  the  red  man,  is  pictured  on  the  wall  facing  the  foot  of  the  western  stairway. 

In  the  room  of  the  Senate  Committee  on  Rules  hang  a  number  of  por- 
traits of  rare  interest.  The  most  attractive  of  these  is  probably  the  one  of 


1 84  The  National  Capitol 

Henry  Laurens,  president  of  the  American  Congress.  This  portrait,  painted 
in  1781,  was  purchased  for  the  government  by  the  Joint  Committee  on  the 
Library.  At  the  time  its  purchase  was  under  consideration,  Mr.  Hoar  stated 
that  the  picture  was  painted  by  John  Singleton  Copley  in  the  Tower  of 
London,  and  that  he  thought  it  ought  to  be  owned  by  the  government.  He 
said  that  it  could  be  purchased  for  $  1,200.  A  portion  of  a  letter  is  visible 
in  Laurens's  hand:  "  I  have  acted  the  part  of  a  faith  subject;  I  now  go 
resolved  still  to  labor  for  peace  at  the  same  time  determined  in  the  last  event 
to  stand  or  fall  with  my  country.  I  have  the  honor  to  be  Henry  Laurens." 

A  portrait  of  General  Grant  by  Cogswell  (1868)  hangs  on  the  same  wall. 
This  was  bought  from  the  family  of  Henry  D.  Cook  for  $500.  Here,  also,  at 
present,  hangs  a  portrait  of  Pocahontas.  This  interesting  picture  was  sent  to 
the  World's  Fair  by  its  owner  in  London  with  the  purpose  of  presenting  it  to 
the  government  after  the  exposition.  It  is  still  in  custom-house  bond,  how- 
ever, never  having  been  presented  to  nor  accepted  by  Congress.  The  inscription 
on  the  picture  reads  :  "  Matoaks  ats  Rebecca  daughter  to  the  mighty  Prince 
_Powhatan  Emperor  of  Attanoughkomonck  ats  Virginia  converted  and  baptised 
in  the  Christian  faith  and  wife  to  the  Worh.  Mr.  Tho  :  Rolff."  In  a  circle 
about  the  portrait  we  read  :  "  Prince  Powhatan  imp  :  virginiae.  Matoaka  als 
Rebecka  Filia  Potentiss.  Aetatis  suae  21.  Ao.  1616." 

*  *  *  * 

Central  Building1. — The  main  corridor  running  the  entire  length  of  the 
building  upon  this  floor,  with  an  exit  to  the  marble  terrace  at  either  end,  is 
nearly  750  feet  in  length. 

Consultation  Room  of  Justices. — The  first  door  upon  the  right,  to  the 
south  of  the  annex  which  connects  the  old  building  with  the  Senate  extension, 
leads  to  the  private  consultation  room  of  the  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  United  States.  Here  they  meet  and  consult  before  promulgation  of 
their  decisions.  The  room,  similar  to  most  of  the  committee  rooms,  contains 
a  long  consultation  table  with  chairs  about,  but  no  decoration  worthy  of  men- 
tion. It  is  never  open  to  the  public ;  and  every  precaution  is  taken  to  guard 
from  foreign  ears  not  only  the  councils  in  this  chamber,  but  the  final  deter- 
minations of  that  learned  body  before  they  are  pronounced  in  open  Court. 
Saturday  is  the  consultation  day.  It  is  only  on  rare  occasions,  of  late  years, 
that  the  justices  find  it  necessary  to  consult  at  night,  as  was  common  in  the 
earlier  days  of  the  Court,  when  four  or  five  evening  consultations  were  held 
during  a  week.  Before  the  present  chamber  was  fitted  up,  the  justices  met  in 
a  room  convenient  to  their  residences. 

Senate  Barber  Shop. — Next  to  the  consultation  room,  on  the  same  side 
of  the  hallway,  is  the  Senate  barber  shop.  Its  window  faces  to  the  west.  A 
portion  of  the  room  is  occupied  by  the  private  bath-tubs  for  Senators.  The 
attendants  receive  a  stated  salary  for  their  services. 


The  National  Capitol 


185 


In  former  days,  the  rooms  on  the  west  side  of  the  main  corridor  nearly 
opposite  the  present  Law  Library  were  the  offices  of  the  Clerk  of  the  Supreme 
Court. 

'*  Corncob  "  Columns. — Beyond,  the  main  corridor  widens  into  a  cir- 
cular space,  beneath  the  light  well,  from  which  a  door  to  the  east  opens  into 
a  sort  of  vestibule.  From  this  rise  a  stairway  and  private  elevator,  both  of 
which  lead  to  the  open  space  before  the  office  of  the  Marshal  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  United  States.  The  elevator  was 

put  in  nominally  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the      ^p*--    — *sat*mmif*iaitfii**J 
justices,  but  the  age  and  failing  health  of  Mr. 
Justice  Field  no  doubt   primarily  led  to  the 
convenience. 

In  this  vestibule  are  noticeable  six  unique 
columns,  whose  Americanized  capitals  .might 
command  attention  on  the  score  of  a  "  Colum- 
bian order"  of  development  in  architecture. 
Why  should  not  these  designs  made  by  Latrobe 
from  the  natural  products  of  the  country  be  as 
stimulating  in  artistic  beauty  and  suggestion  as 
the  acanthus  of  Greece  or  the  lotus  of  the 
Nile  ?  Jefferson,  it  is  said,  recognized  and 
admired  the  efforts  of  the  architect  in  this  di- 
rection, and  a  similar  capital,  sent  to  him  by 
Latrobe,  is  still  in  the  hallway  at  Monticello. 
The  shafts  are  composed  of  bundles  of  the 

stalks  of  the  maize  or  Indian  corn  rising  out  of  a  circlet  of  pointed  leaves,  the 
joints  winding  spirally;  the  capitals  are  graceful  designs  of  the  leaves  and  of 
the  opening,  silk-tasselled  ears,  fillet-bound  at  the  base. 

Law  Library. — To  the  north  of  the  exit  door  of  the  vestibule,  formerly 
the  principal  entrance  to  the  old  Senate  wing,  lie  the  historic  room  and 
alcoves  now  filled  with  the  Law  Library.  This  Library  was  established  as  a 
separate  institution,  though  still  under  the  direction  of  the  Librarian  of  Con- 
gress, as  it  is  also  to-day,  on  July  14,  1832,  when  it  was  moved  into  a  room 
to  the  south  of  the  main  Library  hall.  In  1848,  it  was  removed  to  a  room  on 
the  ground  floor  northwest  of  the  center  of  the  Capitol,  close  to  its  present 
quarters ;  and  upon  the  removal  of  the  Court,  was  again  transferred,  this  time 
into  the  chamber  lately  occupied  by  the  Court.  In  1832,  the  number  of  law 
books  was  recorded  as  2,011.  To-day  they  number  about  85,000  volumes, 
among  which  is  a  complete  collection  of  foreign,  federal  and  State  reports, 
with  innumerable  text-books  and  rare  and  unique  expressions  of  law.  The 
rules  here  regarding  the  books  are  nearly  the  same  as  in  the  general  Congres- 
sional Library. 


186  The  National  Capitol 

This  Library  room  was  the  Chamber  of  the  Supreme  Court  from 
1 80 1  until  the  fire,  and  after  the  restoration,  until  1860,  when  that  body 
moved  into  the  old  Senate  Chamber  upstairs,  where  it  now  sits.  "  The  arches 
of  the  ceiling,"  writes  Watterston  in  1842,  "  diverge  like  the  radii  of  a  circle 
from  a  point  near  the  loggea  to  the  circumference.  The  light  is  admitted  from 
the  east  and  falls  too  full  upon  the  attorney  who  is  addressing  the  Court. 
This  has,  however,  been'  somewhat  softened  by  transparent  curtains  and  Ve- 
netian blinds.  On  the  wall  in  a  recess  in  front  of  the  bench,  is  sculptured, 
in  bold  relief,  the  figure  of  Justice*  holding  the  scales,  and  that  of  Fame 
crowned  with  the  rising  sun,  pointing  to  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States.  On  a  stone  bracket  attached  to  the  pier  of  one  of  the  arches  on  the 
left  of  the  fireplace,  is  a  fine  bust,  in  marble,  of  Chief  Justice  Ellsworth, 
and  on  a  similar  bracket,  on  the  right,  is  a  marble  bust  of  Chief  Justice 
Marshall.  The  members  of  the  bar  are  accommodated  with  mahogany  desks 
and  armed  chairs,  within  the  bar,  which  is  about  two  feet  below  the  level  of 
the  floor  of  the  loggea  and  lobby,  and  the  audience  with  sofas,  settees,  and 
chairs.  The  Judges  have  each  a  mahogany  desk  and  chair." 

In  speaking  of  the  old  Court  room,  Ben  :  Perley  Poore  says  :  "It  is  rich 
in  tradition  of  hair-powder,  queues,  ruffed  shirts,  knee-britches  and  buckles. 
Up  to  that  time  no  Justice  had  ever  sat  upon  the  bench  in  trousers  nor  had 
any  lawyer  ventured  to  plead  in  boots,  nor  wearing  whiskers.  Their  Honors, 
the  Chief-Justice  and  Associate  Justices,  wearing  silk  judicial  robes,  were 
treated  with  the  most  profound  respect.  When  Mr.  Clay  stopped,  one  day,  in 
an  argument,  and  advancing  to  the  bench,  took  a  pinch  of  snuff  from  Judge 
Washington's  box,  saying,  '  I  perceive  that  your  Honor  sticks  to  the  Sketch,' 
and  then  proceeded  with  his  case,  it  excited  astonishment  and  admiration. 
'  Sir,'  said  Mr.  Justice  Story,  in  relating  the  circumstance  to  a  friend,  '  I  do 
not  believe  there  is  a  man  in  the  United  States  who  could  have  done  that  but 
Mr.  Clay.'  " 

Here  were  promulgated  most  of  the  great  opinions  of  Chief  Justice  Mar- 
shall bearing  upon  Constitutional  interpretation  and  other  important  ques- 
tions, which  have  so  materially  shaped,  as  precedents,  the  opinions  of  later 
days.  Marshall  was  appointed  Chief  Justice  when  Secretary  of  State,  January 
31,  1801,  and  continued  in  office  until  his  death  in  1835.  Bryce,  in  his 
American  Commonwealth,  says :  "  Yet  one  man  was  so  singularly  fitted  for  the 
office  of  Chief  Justice  that  the  Americans  have  been  wont  to  regard  him  as  a 
special  gift  of  favoring  Providence.  This  was  John  Marshall,  whose  fame 
overtops  that  of  all  other  American  Judges  more  than  Papinian  overtops  the 
jurists  of  Rome,  or  Lord  Mansfield  the  jurists  of  England." 

*  This  crude,  colored  bas-relief  is  by  Franzoni.  The  design  is  used  upon  the  certifi- 
cates of  admission  to  the  Court. 


The  National  Capitol  187 

Harriet  Martineau  gives  the  following  pen-picture  of  a  scene  in  this  room 
in  1835,  while  the  great  Chief  Justice,  a  few  months  before  his  death,  was 
delivering  the  opinion  of  the  court :  "  At  some  moments  this  court  presents  a 
singular  spectacle.  I  have  watched  the  assemblage  while  the  chief-justice 
was  delivering  a  judgment;  the  three  judges  on  either  hand  gazing  at  him 
more  like  learners  than  associates ;  Webster  standing  firm  as  a  rock,  his  large, 
deep-set  eyes  wrde  awake,  his  lips  compressed,  and  his  whole  countenance  in 
that  intent  stillness  which  instantly  fixes  the  eye  of  the  stranger;  Clay  leaning 
against  the  desk  in  an  attitude  whose  grace  contrasts  strangely  with  the  slov- 
enly make  of  his  dress,  his  snuff-box  for  the  moment  unopened  in  his  hand, 
his  small  gray  eye  and  placid  half-smile  conveying  an  expression  of  pleasure 
which  redeems  his  face  from  its  usual  unaccountable  commonness;  the  attor- 
ney-general [Benjamin  F.  Butler  of  New  York],  his  fingers  playing  among 
his  papers,  his  quick  black  eye  and  thin  tremulous  lips  for  once  fixed,  his  small 
face,  pale  with  thought,  contrasting  remarkably  with  the  other  two ;  these  men, 
absorbed  in  what  they  are  listening  to,  thinking  neither  of  themselves  nor  of 
each  other,  while  they  are  watched  by  the  group  of  idlers  and  listeners  around 
them ;  the  newspaper  corps,  the  dark  Cherokee  chiefs,  the  stragglers  from  the 
Far  West,  the  gay  ladies  in  their  waving  plumes,  and  the  members  of  either 
house  that  have  stepped  in  to  listen ;  all  these  have  I  seen  at  one  moment 
constitute  one  silent  assemblage,  while  the  mild  voice  of  the  aged  chief-jus- 
tice sounded  through  the  court." 

One  of  the  earliest  cases  of  importance  tried  within  these  walls  was  that 
of  Marbury  v.  Madison,  where  it  was  held  that  a  legislative  act  not  in  accord 
with  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  could  be  declared  void  by  the 
courts.  This  was  a  doctrine  new  to  governments,  and  marked  a  distinct  step 
in  the  advancement  of  the  rights  of  the  people.  Shortly  after,  Cohens  v.  Vir- 
ginia was  argued,  and  the  Court  held  that  where  a  defence  was  made  under  a 
statute  of  the  United  States  it  was  a  case  arising,  within  the  meaning  of  the 
Constitution,  "  under  a  law  of  the  United  States,"  and,  therefore,  cognizable 
by  the  Supreme  Court  on  writ  of  error;  and  that,  under  the  section  of  the 
Judiciary  Act  of  1789  relating  to  writs  of  error  from  State  courts,  the  borough 
court  of  Norfolk,  being  the  last  court  in  the  State  to  which  the  case  could  go, 
a  writ  of  error  might  be  taken  direct  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States.  Owing  to  the  destruction  of  the  Capitol  by  the  British,  this  room, 
however,  lost  Webster's  great  appeal  for  his  alma  mater.  The  famous  Dart- 
mouth College  case  was  triedin  1818,  during  the  temporary  sittings  of  the  Court 
outside  the  Capitol.  Within  these  narrow  walls,  loaded  with  tomes  of  law, 
the  pale,  studious,  thin-lipped,  large-browed  Chief  Justice  Taney  uttered  the 
Dred  Scott  decision,  which  set  the  continent  aflame.  It  held  that  a  free 
negro  of  the  African  race,  whose  ancestors  were  brought  to  this  country  and 
sold  as  slaves,  was  not  a  "  citizen  "  within  the  meaning  of  the  .Constitution. 


i88  The  National  Capitol 

The  Crypt. — The  large  circular  chamber  in  the  center  of  the  building 
on  the  ground  floor  is  known  as  the  crypt.  In  this  somber  space  are  forty 
Doric  columns  of  brown  stone,  which  contribute  to  the  support  of  the  floor- 
ing of  the  immense  rotunda  above.  In  the  center  is  a  marble  star,  which  is 
theoretically  the  center  of  the  city  of  Washington  as  originally  laid  out  in 
the  plan  of  L' Enfant,  but,  practically,  far  otherwise. 

"Of  course,"  writes  Trumbull,  recalling  his  proposed  plans  for  the 
arrangement  of  this  interior,  "  the  staircase  which  I  had  recommended,  to- 
gether with  the  fire-proof  rooms  for  the  preservation  of  important  records,  &c., 
were  sacrificed,  and  instead  of  the  concentric  walls  and  simple  arches  of  my 
plan,  to  support  the  floor  of  the  great  room,  a  wilderness  of  truncated  columns 
and  groined  arches  were  employed  for  that  purpose,  and  this  wilderness, 
called  the  crypt,  very  soon  degenerated  into  a  stand  for  a  crowd  of  female  deal- 
ers in  apples,  nuts,  cakes,  liquors,  &c.,  for  the  accommodation  of  hackney 
coachmen,  servants,  negroes,  &c.,  and  becoming  an  intolerable  nuisance,  was 
ultimately  denounced  as  such  by  Mr.  John  Randolph,  and  abated." 

Washington  Tomb  and  Statue. — Beneath  the  star  in  the  center  of  the 
crypt  is  a  tomb  known  as  the  "  Washington  Tomb."  Above  it,  formerly,  was 
a  circular  opening  in  the  floor  of  the  rotunda,  evidently  for  the  purpose  of 
lighting  the  crypt  and  permitting  visitors  to  look  down  upon  the  statue  above 
the  tomb  as  they  now  look  down  upon  the  sarcophagus  of  the  first  Napoleon 
at  the  Hotel  des  Invalides  in  Paris,  "  where  rest  at  last  the  ashes  of  that  rest- 
less man." 

"A  notion  had  long  prevailed,"  writes  Trumbull,  about  1824,  "that  a 
statue  of  Washington  must  be  placed  in  the  Capitol — and  where  so  well  as 
under  the  centre  of  the  dome,  on  the  ground  floor,  where  it  would  be  always 
accessible  to  and  under  the  eye  of  the  people ;  the  ground  floor  might  then 
become  a  magnificent  crypt,  and  the  monument  of  the  father  of  his  country, 
surrounded  by  those  of  her  illustrious  sons,  might  there  seem  still  to  watch 
over  and  to  guard  the  interests  of  the  nation  which  they  had  founded.  The 
idea  was  poetical,  grand,  and  captivating. 

"  The  statue  being  there,  must  be  lighted,  and  as  the  projections  of  the 
porticos  must  necessarily  screen  all  the  light  which  might  otherwise  have  been 
obtained  from  the  arches  between  the  piers  of  the  ground  floor,  it  was  evident 
that  the  object  could  only  be  attained  by  letting  down  light  from  the  summit 
of  the  dome ;  and  to  effect  this,  it  would  be  necessary  also  to  pierce  the  floor 
of  the  grand  room,  with  an  opening  large  enough  for  the  purpose,  say  twenty 
feet  diameter,  at  least.  These  whims  prevailed,  and  the  project  was  adopted." 

As  early  as  December  23,  1799,  it  was  resolved  by  Congress  that  a  marble 
statue  be  erected  in  the  Capitol  and  that  the  family  of  General  Washington 
be  requested  to  permit  his  body  to  be  deposited  under  it.  The  monument 
was  to  be  so  designed  as  to  commemorate  the  great  events  of  his  military  and 


The  National  Capitol 


189 


political  life.  Washington  had  just  passed  away,  and  President  John  Adams 
transmitted  a  copy  of  the  resolution  to  his  widow,  then  at  Mount  Vernon, 
with  assurances  of  the  profound  respect  of  Congress  for  her  person  and  char- 
acter, and  of  their  condolence  in  her  late  affliction.  Mrs.  Martha  Washington 
responded  by  letter  of  December  3ist,  expressing  her  grateful  acknowledg- 
ment and  unfeigned  thanks  for  the  mournful  tributes  of  respect  and  venera- 
tion paid  to  the  memory  of  her  deceased  husband  and  consenting  to  the 
request  of  Congress.  It  was,  no  doubt,  made  an  express  or  implied  condition 
by  her  that,  upon  her  own  demise,  she  should  be  allowed  to  rest  at  the  side  of 
her  honored  husband  in  the  na- 
tion's tomb.  It  is  certain  that 
in  this  belief  Mrs.  Washington 
directed  that,  upon  her  decease, 
her  remains  should  be  enclosed 
in  a  leaden  coffin  similar  to  the 
one  containing  the  ashes  of  her 
illustrious  consort,  a  wish  re- 
spectfully carried  out  at  the  time 
of  her  death. 

Various  other  resolutions  were 
offered  and  considerable  corres- 
pondence *  carried  on  regarding 
the  ceremonies  of  removal  from 
Mount  Vernon ;  and  the  tomb 
was  made  ready.  The  year  1832 
arrived,  however,  without  any 
such  removal  having  taken  place. 
In  the  early  part  of  that  year,  the 
Legislature  of  the  State  of  Vir- 
ginia, jealous  of  her  hero  resting  in  national  soil,  passed  a  resolution  against  it. 
The  matter  was  determined  by  a  letter,  dated  February  15,  1832,  from  John 
A.  Washington,  who  was  then  the  proprietor  of  Mount  Vernon,  denying  the 
request  made  by  Congress.  In  spite  of  the  graceful  way  in  which  his  reply  was 
couched,  it  is  the  common  report  that  a  selfish  motive  only  led  him  to  the  de- 
termination. The  removal  of  the  remains  of  the  immortal  Washington  would 
certainly  have  much  reduced  the  value  of  Mount  Vernon  in  the  public  interest. 

The  two  following  entries  in  the  prolific  diary  of  the  second  Adams  throw 
some  light  upon  this  question  : 

"  Feb.    i6th,    1832. — At  the  opening  of    the  sitting  of  the  House,  the 
Speaker  announced  the  correspondence  between  the  Vice-President  with  him- 


THE   WASHINGTON    TOMB 


*  For  full  account  of  the  proceedings,  see  Appendix,  p.  273. 


i9°  The  National  Capitol 

self  and  John  A.  Washington,  the  present  proprietor  of  Mount  Vernon,  and 
George  W.  P.  Custis,  the  grandson  of  Mrs.  Martha  Washington.  John  A. 
Washington  declines  giving  permission  that  the  remains  of  George  Washing- 
ton should  be  removed  from  Mount  Vernon,  though  Mr.  Custis  does  consent 
that  those  of  Mrs.  Martha  Washington  should  be  removed.  They  must  remain 
where  they  are.  This  affair  is  therefore  now  settled." 

"  Feb.  22,  1832. — Centennial  birthday  of  Washington.  The  solemnities 
intended  for  this  day  at  this  place  lost  all  their  interest  for  me  by  the  refusal 
of  John  A.  Washington  to  permit  the  remains  of  George  Washington  to  be 
transferred  to  be  entombed  under  the  Capitol — a  refusal  to  which  I  believe 
he  was  not  competent,  and  into  the  real  operative  motives  to  which  I  wish 
not  to  inquire.  I  did  wish  that  this  resolution  might  have  been  carried  into 
execution,  but  this  wish  was  connected  with  an  imagination  that  this  federal 
Union  was  to  last  for  ages.  I  now  disbelieve  its  duration  for  twenty  years,  and 
doubt  its  continuance  for  five.  It  is  falling  into  the  sear  and  yellow  leaf." 

At  the  time  of  his  death  the  advisability  of  honoring  Grant  with  a  final 
resting-place  in  the  "  Washington  Tomb  "  was  agitated.  The  family,  how- 
ever, who  were  then  residing  in  New  York,  were  averse  to  having  the  body 
interred  elsewhere,  and  the  State  itself,  like  Virginia  in  the  case  of  Washing- 
ton, was  jealous  of  any  interment  which  would  remove  her  citizen-hero  from 
her  soil.  Nothing  came  of  it;  and  the  tomb  in  the  Capitol  is  still  vacant, 
except  for  the  simple  bier  of  boards  covered  with  black  cloth  which  was  used 
to  support  the  remains  of  Lincoln,  and  which  has  been  used  for  each  citizen 
laid  in  state  at  the  Capitol  since  that  dark  day. 

Court  of  Claims. — The  Court  of  Claims,  which  was  established  Febru- 
ary 24,  1855,  was  organized  and  first  sat  in  Willard's  Hotel.  Later  it  moved 
to  the  Capitol  and  occupied  the  suite  of  rooms  below  the  Library,  the  Court 
holding  its  sessions  in  the  large  room  looking  west,  to  the  north  of  the  stair- 
way. About  1880,  the  Court  moved  from  the  Capitol  to  its  present  quarters 
in  the  Department  of  Justice.  Up  to  March  3,  1887,  in  this  Court  only 
could  the  government  be  brought  before  the  bar  to  plead,  and  even  there  in 
but  a  few  prescribed  cases.  It  differed  from  every  other  court  in  the  United 
States ;  for  they  needed  only  the  Executive  to  enforce  their  judgments,  while 
the  Court  of  Claims  must  have  appropriations  directly  for  the  purpose  from 
Congress  or  its  judgments  against  the  nation  go  unsatisfied. 

One  of  the  rooms  formerly  devoted  to  the  Court  of  Claims  is  now  occupied 
by  the  Senate  Committee  on  the  Library.  In  it  hangs  a  quaint  portrait  of 
Benjamin  West  by  himself.  This  was  purchased  of  Mr.  Barlow,  the  dealer, 
in  1876. 

Offices  of  the  Chief  Clerk. — To  the  south  of  the  so-called  crypt, 
towards  the  wing  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  opening  from  the 
main  corridor,  are  the  offices  of  the  chief  clerk  of  that  body.  The  northeast 


The  National  Capitol  I91 

room  of  this  suite,  in  May,  1844,  was  the  Washington  terminus  of  Morse's 
telegraph,  connecting  the  Capitol  with  the  railroad  depot  in  Pratt  Street 
between  Charles  and  Light  Streets,  Baltimore,  over  which  was  transmitted  the 
first  telegraphic  message  in  the  world's  history.  Miss  Annie  G.  Ellsworth, 
daughter  of  Henry  L.  Ellsworth,  then  Commissioner  of  Patents,  was  honored 
with  the  choice  of  the  words  of  the  message,  as  she  had  been  the  first  to 
announce  to  Morse  the  good  news  of  the  passage  of  the  bill  appropriating  the 
money  to  build  the  wire.  She  chose':  "  What  hath  God  wrought !  " 
*  *  *  * 

Hou>se  Wing. — The  House  post-office  and  restaurant  are  upon  this  floor, 
east  of  the  main  corridor  of  the  Capitol.  The  bath-rooms  of  the  House 
also  were  formerly  here,  but  have  since  been  moved  to  the  sub-basement 
near  the  furnace  and  engine  rooms.  Their  space  was  incorporated  into  the 
restaurant.  They  are  for  the  use  of  Representatives  and  certain  employe's 
of  the  building.  Some  of  the  tubs  are  made  of  solid  blocks  of  marble, 
chiseled  at  the  time  of  the  erection  of  the  extensions,  but  the  majority  are 
porcelain-lined.  The  two  attendants,  unlike  those  of  the  Senate  who  are 
exclusively  for  the  comfort  of  Senators,  wait  upon  both  the  Representatives 
and  employes. 

Decoration. — The  main  corridor  of  the  ground  floor  of  the  House  is 
much  enriched  by  colonnades  of  semi-Corinthian  columns  carved  from  fine 
Italian  marble.  The  crowning  section  of  each  capital  is  designed  from  the 
American  tobacco  plant.  •  The  general  want  of  decoration,  however,  through- 
out the  entire  wing  is  very  noticeable  by  contrast  with  the  northern  end  of 
the  Capitol. 

The  tradition  is  that  during  the  construction  of  the  south  wing  a  lively 
fight  occurred  in  committee  over  an  appropriation  bill  for  its  completion. 
One  of  the  clauses  of  the  bill  provided  for  the  decoration  of  the  House  wing 
like  the  Senate  wing  and  another  for  an  increase  of  twenty  per  cent,  in 
the  salaries  of  the  employe's  of  the  House.  Mr.  Humphrey  Marshall,  a  Rep- 
resentative from  Kentucky,  who  was  a  character  in  his  way,  as  well  as  a 
man  of  force,  was  bitterly  averse  to  enriching  foreign  artists,  who  would 
doubtless  receive  the  majority  of  the  contracts  as  they  had  in  the  Senate. 
He  was  a  stanch  friend  of  the  American  artists  and  aided  them  in  securing 
the  appointment  of  the  Art  Commission  to  control  the  decoration  at  the 
Capitol.  He  is  said  to  have  cleverly  used,  in  the  fight  in  committee,  the 
proposed  advance  for  the  benefit  of  the  employes  as  a  lever  with  which  to 
defeat  the  provision  for  decoration.  This  is  especially  interesting  as  he  is 
still  remembered  as  a  principal  figure  at  the  collation,  spread  by  the  employes 
in  one  of  the  committee  rooms  to  put  the  Members  in  good  humor  toward  the 
increase,  and  as  saying:  "Boys,  I'll  eat  your  refreshments  and  drink  your 
whiskey, — then  vote  against  your  compensation."  And  so  the  story  goes  that, 


192 


The  National  Capitol 


if  it  had  not  been  for  Mr.  Humphrey  Marshall,  the  employes  would  have  had 
their  increase,  and  the  panels  and  niches  of  the  House  wing,  as  well  as  those 
of  the  Senate,  would  have  been  enriched  with  frescoes,  oils  and  marbles. 

Committee  Rooms. — The  mural  decorations  of  the  room  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Agriculture,  which  is  upon  the  west  front,  were  the  first  work 
of  Brumidi  at  the  Capitol.  They  were  done  on  probation,  and  were  so  satis- 
factory to  the  authorities  that 
the  entire  remaining  portion 
of  the  artist's  life,  some  twen- 
ty-six years,  was  devoted  as- 
siduously to  the  beautifying 
of  the  rotunda  and  the  Senate 
wing.  His  work  has  so  identi- 
fied him  with  the  building  that 
he  may  almost  now  be  called 
the  "  Michael  Angelo  of  the 
Capitol."  On  the  ceiling 
are  gracefully  frescoed  groups 
representing  the  four  seasons, 
Spring,  Summer,  Autumn  and 
Winter.  On  the  east  wall, 
the  artist  has  told  the  story 
of  Cincinnatus,  called  from 
the  plow  to  govern  Rome,  and 
this  he  has  rendered  strik- 
ingly effective  in  suggestion 
by  the  similar  event  in  Ameri- 
can history,  depicted  upon 
the  west  wall — the  summon- 
ing of  Putnam  from  the  plow 
to  accept  a  command  in  the 
Colonial  army.  Upon  the 

south  wall,  the  artist  has  placed  a  head  of  Washington,  and  beneath  it  a  panel 
representing  the  primitive  process  of  cutting  grain  with  the  old-fashioned 
sickle;  and  opposite,  a  head  of  Jefferson,  below  which  is  a  similar  panel 
showing  the  improved  style  of  harvesting  to-day  with  the  reaper.  The  four 
corners  of  the  ceiling  are  enlivened  with  scroll-work  and  frescoes  of  pretty 
cherubs  in  imitation  of  marble.  Brumidi  completed  the  decoration  of  the 
room  in  1855.  The  former  room  of  the  Committee  on  Territories,  now  used 
by  the  Committee  on  Elections,  is  decorated  after  designs  by  Leslie ;  and  that 
on  Indian  Affairs  contains  a  collection  of  Eastman's  oil  paintings  representing 
life  among  the  Sioux. 


CONSTANTINO    BRUMIDI 


The  National  Capitol  193 

Bronze  Stairways. — This  floor  has  two  main  stairways  and  two  eleva- 
tors, as  in  the  Senate  wing,  though  one  of  these  "  lifts  "  rises  at  the  south  end 
of  the  western  corridor,  rather  than  at  the  west  end  of  the  northern.  A  pri- 
vate staircase  leads  from  a  hallway,  opening  off  the  eastern  corridor,  to  the 
main  floor  of  the  House ;  and  there  is  another  to  the  west,  similar  alike  to 
the  two  which  lead  to  the  private  lobby  of  the  Senators.  These  are  of  marble 
with  the  exception  of  the  railings,  which  are  wrought  in  bronze.  Brumidi 
made  the  attractive  designs  of  the  eagle,  deer  and  cherubs  for  all  of  the  rail- 
ings upon  paper;  they  were  then  modeled  by  Charles  Baudin,  a  Frenchman, 
and  cast  in  Philadelphia.  The  drawings  were  after  the  Italian  school,  but 
Baudin  changed  them  into  the  French  style  in  working  up  the  models,  an 
alteration  principally  noticeable  in  the  different  way  in  which  the  scrolls  and 
flowers  are  made  apparently  to  grow  out  of  one  another.  Archer,  Warner, 
Miskey  &  Co.  received  $22,498.12  for  the  four  railings;  no  one  seems  to 
know  what  the  artists  were  paid  for  the  designs. 


THE   HOUSE   WING 


Speaker's  Boom.— The  Speaker's 
room  is  at  the  head  of  the  eastern  pri- 
vate staircase  of  the  House.  There  is 
nothing  about  its  decoration  in  any  way 
to  distinguish  it.  The  room  is  for  the 
exclusive  use  of  the  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives,  for  the  pur- 
poses of  consultation  and  office  work, 
when  at  the  Capitol. 

Speaker's  Lobby. — The  Speaker's 
lobby,  a  long  narrow  corridor,  is  di- 
rectly in  the  rear  of  the  chamber  of  the 
House.  Behind  it  is  the  Representa- 
tives' retiring  room,  furnished  with  com- 
fortable chairs  and  sofas  upholstered  in 
leather,  whose  windows  overlook  the 
grounds  and  city  toward  the  Potomac. 
This  room  and  the  lobby  occupy  the 
same  relative  position  to  the  House  that 
the  President's  room,  marble  room, 
Vice-President's  room  and  private  lobby 
occupy  to  the  Senate.  Their  uses,  how- 
ever, are  quite  different.  No  person 

is  permitted  to  enter  them  after  the  House  convenes,  unless  he  has  the 
privilege  of  the  floor.  They  are  especially  interesting,  because  they  contain 
portraits  of  the  various  Speakers  of  the  House  of  Representatives  from 
the  time  of  Frederick  A.  Muhlenberg  of  Pennsylvania,  the  Speaker  of 
the  First  and  Third  Congresses,  which  hangs  on  the  south  wall  adjacent  to 
the  Speaker's  room.  Opposite  hangs  a  portrait  of  Robert  C.  Wintlirop  of 
Massachusetts,  presented  by  citizens  of  that  State  after  the  delivery  of  his 
centennial  oration,  by  appointment  of  Congress,  at  Yorktown,  Virginia,  on 
the  igth  of  October,  1881.  The  first  portrait  at  the  entrance  to  the  lobby, 
near  the  Speaker's  room,  is  that  of  John  W.  Jones  of  Virginia.  Following 
it,  upon  the  left,  is  James  L.  Orr  of  South  Carolina.  Within  the  first  arch 
hangs  Henry  Clay  of  Kentucky,  by  Faynini.  Then  follow  William  Pen- 


The  National  Capitol  195 

iiington  of  New  Jersey,  General  Joseph  B.  Varnum  of  Massachusetts, 
Robert  M.  T.  Hunter  of  Virginia,  Andrew  Stevenson  of  Virginia,  Tlieo-' 
doro  Sedgwick  of  Massachusetts  and  Schnyler  Colfax  of  Indiana;  while 
within  the  last  arch,  corresponding  with  the  one  where  hangs  the  portrait  of 
Henry  Clay,  is  an  admirable  portrait  by  John  S.  Sargent  (1891)  of  Thomas 
B.  Reed  of  Maine,  the  present  Speaker,  who,  as  a  parliamentarian,  holds 
one  of  the  most  unique  and  conspicuous  places  in  the  public  eye  yet  acquired 
by  a  Speaker  of  the  House.  In  the  retiring  rooms,  over  the  mantle,  hangs  the 
portrait  of  Jonathan  Trumbull  of  Connecticut  fame,  the  Speaker  of  the 
Second  Congress.  Directly  opposite  is  that  of  Nathaniel  P.  Banks  of 
Massachusetts;  while  beyond  the  door,  outside  the  lobby,  is  John  White 
of  Kentucky.  The  first  portrait  upon  the  walls  of  the  lobby  next  the  cham- 
ber of  the  House,  is  that  of  Jonathan  Dayton  of  New  Jersey ;  opposite 
it  hangs  that  of  John  W.  Taylor  of  New  York.  To  the  right  of  Dayton 
is  John  Bell  of  Tennessee.  Then  follow  Philip  P.  Barbour  of  Virginia, 
Linn  Boyd  of  Kentucky,  Michael  C.  Kerr  of  Indiana,  Samuel  J.  Ran- 
dall of  Pennsylvania,  James  G.  Blaine  of  Maine,  Charles  F.  Crisp  of 
Georgia,  who  was  of  a  family  of  actors,  and,  as  a  boy,  himself  an  actor,  John 
G.  Carlisle  of  Kentucky,  Galusha  A.  Grow  of  Pennsylvania,  J.  Warren 
Keifer  of  Ohio,  John  W.  Davis  of  Indiana,  Howell  Cobb  of  Georgia, 
James  K.  Polk  of  Tennessee  and  Laugdon  Cheves  of  South  Carolina. 

It  is  interesting  to  notice  that,  of  this  long  line  of  illustrious  men  who 
have  received  the  high  honor  of  being  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, one  only,  James  K.  Polk,  has  been  elected  to  the  greater,  but  often  not 
so  powerful,  office  of  President  of  the  United  States.  Many  of  them  have 
sought  the  nomination  from  their  parties;  several  of  them  have  been  placed 
in  nomination,  but  one  only  has  reached  the  goal  of  his  ambition,  and  he  by 
far  not  the  greatest. 

Committee  Rooms  and  Offices. — The  door  at  the  west  end  of  the 
Speaker's  lobby  leads  to  the  hallway  known  as  the  west  corridor  of  the  House. 
At  the  south  end  of  this  corridor,  until  recently,  were  the  offices  of  the  Clerk 
and  of  the  Sergeant-at-Arms  of  the  House.  They  are  now  occupied  by  the 
Committee  on  Appropriations,  where  originate  all  appropriation  bills  con- 
sidered by  the  House,  excepting  those  relating  to  rivers  and  harbors,  post- 
offices  and  post  roads,  the  army  and  navy,  and  foreign  affairs.  Opening  off  the 
same  corridor  is  the  room  which  is  devoted  to  the  Committee  on  Rivers  and 
Harbors.  Directly  north  is  the  office  of  the  journal,  printing  and  file  clerks 
of  the  House,  where  are  preserved  the  original  Messages  which  have  been  sent 
to  that  body  by  the  Presidents  from  the  time  of  the  establishment  of  the 
government. 

W«'sf  \vard  th<>  Course  ol'  I'.nipirr  lakes  its  Way. — From  the  west  cor- 
ridor, a  grand  marble  staircase  ascends  to  the  galleries  of  the  House.  At  its 


i96  The  National  Capitol 

foot  is  a  bronze  bust  by  Vincenti  of  the  Chippewa  Chief,  Beeshekee,  the 
'Buffalo.  On  the  walls  above  the  landing  is  the  popular  picture  known  as 
"Westward  the  Course  of  Empire  takes  its  Way."  It  is  the  work  of  the  genial 
German-born  artist,  Emanuel  Leutze,  an  historical  painter  of  some  distinc- 
tion, and  its  title  is  a  quotation  from  Bishop  Berkeley.  The  scene  is  a  pano- 
rama, impossible  in  extent,  of  western  country.  In  the  foreground  are 
depicted  the  struggles  and  privations  of  an  early  wagon-train  crossing  a  pass 
in  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Beyond  are  spouting  geysers,  grand  canons  and 
the  El  Dorado,  stretching  like  a  mirage  of  hope  before  the  eyes  of  the  weary 
travelers.  The  view  is  truly  an  inspiring  one. 

In  the  fanciful  border  to  the  right,  the  artist  has  placed  a  portrait  of 
Daniel  Boone  and,  beneath  it,  the  appropriate  quotation  from  Jonathan  M. 
Sewall's  Epilogue  to  Cato  : 

"  The  spirit  moves  with  its  allotted  spaces, 
The  mind  is  narrowed  in  a  narrow  sphere." 

The  corresponding  portrait,  worked  into  the  border  upon  the  left,  is  that  of 
Captain  William  Clarke, whose  pioneer  story  is  so  fascinatingly  told  by  Wash- 
ington Irving.  Its  quotation  also  is  from  Sewall : 

"  No  pent-up  Utica  contracts  our  powers, 
But  the  whole  boundless  continent  is  ours.  * 

In  the  long  narrow  border  beneath  is  seen  the  Golden  Gate,  the  entrance  to 
the  harbor  of  San  Francisco. 

We  owe  the  picture  in  great  part  to  General  Meigs,  who  took  the  respon- 
sibility of  contracting  for  it  with  the  artist  and  who,  for  his  pains,  received 
at  the  time  much  criticism  on  the  score  of  extravagance.  A  sharp  contro- 
versy regarding  his  accounts  also  arose  with  the  Auditor  of  the  Treasury.  It 
seems  that  there  was  some  discrepancy  in  dates  owing  to  the  fact  that,  in  disre- 
gard of  the  letter  of  the  law,  money  had  been  advanced  to  the  artist  to  enable 
him  to  visit  the  frontier  for  the  purpose  of  studying  its  scenes  and  making 
his  sketches  from  life.  The  great  popularity  of  the  picture,  however,  com- 
pensates for  the  uftkind  reflections  upon  General  Meigs,  as  it  does  also  for  its 
technical  imperfections  and  totally  impossible  ensemble. 

The  work  is  what  is  known  as  stereochromy,  a  process  of  wall  painting 
brought  to  perfection  by  Kaulbach  and  others.  The  immediate  basis  is  a 
thin  layer  of  cement  composed  of  powdered  marble,  dolomite,  quartz  and 
air-worn  quicklime.  Upon  this  the  colors,  mixed  with  water,  are  applied. 
They  adhere  but  loosely ;  and  the  artist,  unlike  in  fresco,  may  work  at  leisure, 
and  correct  mistakes  or  hide  blemishes  at  will.  The  colors  are  then  fixed  by 
applying  a  spray  of  water-glass  solution,  which,  after  a  few  days,  gives  to  the 


The  National  Capitol  '99 

surface  hardness,  transparency  and  a  peculiar  brilliancy  of  effect.  The  paint- 
ing finally  is  washed  with  alcohol  to  remove  the  eliminated  alkali  and  dust. 
This  style  of  decoration  is  practically  proof  against  atmospheric  influences. 
Leutze  is  said  to  have  studied  the  mechanism  of  the  method  under  Kaul- 
bach. 

The  dullness  in  color  is  due  to  the  partial  failure  of  the  artist  properly 
to  execute  the  method  selected.  The  colors  have  so  sunk  into  the  wall  as  to 
lose  the  desired  luster  and  leave  a  lifeless  effect  which  materially  detracts 
from  the  picture.  Then,  too,  some  of  its  best  points  are  lost  because  the 
painting  cannot  be  viewed  from  the  proper  distance.  The  contract  for  this 
work  was  executed  in  July,  1861.  The  artist  worked  rapidly  and  earnestly 
without  regard  to  the  great  war  that  was  then  raging  about  the  capital.  The 
picture  was  completed  in  the  autumn  of  1862.  The  artist  received  $20,000. 

Portrait  of  Marshall. — On  the  wall  above  the  upper  landing  of  this 
staircase  is  a  full-length  painting  of  John  Marshall,  the  fourth  Chief  Justice 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  copied  from  the  original  by 
William  D.  Washington,  a  pupil  of  Leutze  of  Diisseldorf.  Washington  was 
a  native  of  Fauquier  County,  Virginia,  the- county  of  Marshall,  and  the  origi- 
nal of  this  picture  was  executed  in  the  city  of  Washington  under  the  imme- 
diate supervision  and  criticism  of  Leutze.  It  was  a  commission  from  the 
county  of  Fauquier,  and  now  hangs  in  the  County  Court  room  over  the  judge's 
seat.  It  is  regarded  by  the  descendants  of  Marshall  as  the  best  likeness  of 
him  extant.  The  present  copy  was  painted  pursuant  to  an  order  of  the  Joint 
Committee  on  the  Library  in  1880  by  Richard  N.  Brooke,  the  well-known 
Washington  artist,  who,  like  Marshall  and  Washington,  is  a  native  of  Fauquier 
County.  It  is  a  literal  reproduction  both  in  details  and  technique  of  the 
original.  W.  D.  Washington  was  a  favorite  of  W.  W.  Corcoran,  who  founded 
for  his  benefit  the  chair  of  fine  arts  in  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  at  Lex- 
ington, a  position  which,  upon  the  death  of  Washington,  was  filled  by  the 
appointment  of  Brooke. 

Chamber  of  the  House  of  Representatives. — From  any  one  of  the 
galleries,  the  hall  occupied  by  the  Representatives  appears,  as  it  is,  con- 
siderably larger  than  the  Senate  Chamber.  It  is  139  feet  in  length,  93  feet 
in  width  and  36  feet  in  height.  The  medallions  of  stained  glass  in  the  center 
of  each  square  of  the  ceiling  represent  the  coats-of-arms  of  the  various  States 
and  Territories  which  comprise  the  Union.  Beneath  the  galleries,  but  opening 
directly  off  the  hall,  are  rooms  known  as  the  Republican  and  Democratic 
cloak  rooms,  where  the  Members  of  the  House  and  its  employes  receive  the 
attention  of  barbers  and  hang  up  their  political  hats.  Unlike  in  the  tonsorial 
parlors  of  the  Senate,  its  patrons  are  compelled  to  pay  for  shaving. 

The  first  House  of  Representatives  consisted  of  65  Members.  Under  the 
apportionment  act  of  February  7,  1891,  the  number  of  Representatives  from 


200  The  National  Capitol 

States  already  in  the  Union  was  limited  to  356,  and  since  that  time,  in  1896, 
Utah  has  been  admitted.  This  makes  the  number  at  present  357,  besides  the 
Delegates,  one  from  each  of  the  Territories,  Arizona,  Oklahoma  and  New 
Mexico,  who,  however,  have  no  vote.  Had  the  body  been  left  to  increase  in 
numbers  under  the  census  of  1900,  as  it  did  under  the  census  of  1890,  the 
chamber  would  prove  inadequate  to  the  accommodation  of  the  House. 

Each  new  House  is  called  to  order  by  the  Clerk  of  the  preceding  House. 
One  of  the  Representatives  is  elected  Speaker,  and  sworn  into  office  by  the 
oldest  Member,  or  "  Father  of  the  House."  The  Speaker  then  administers 
the  oath  to  the  various  Representatives,  and  the  House  is  an  organized  body 
and  ready  for  business.  The  Speaker  receives  $8,000  a  year  salary,  and  the 
Members  each  $5,000 — together  with  mileage  from  their  homes  to  the  capi- 
tal, and  $125  for  stationery  each  Congress.  A  like  compensation  is  provided 
for  Senators.  In  1873,  Congress  increased  the  salaries  to  $.7,500  and  made 
the  law  relate  to  the  full  Congress  just  expiring;  but  this  law  was  almost 
immediately  repealed  by  the  incoming  Congress  under  the  popular  clamor 
against  "  salary  grabbers."  . 

The  Speaker,  who  presides  over  the'  body,  occupies  the  rostrum  in  the 
center  of  the  south  side  of  the  room.  The  steps  leading  to  this  were  for- 
merly crowded  with  pages,  whom  the  Members  summoned  by  clapping  their 
hands  •  but,  at  the  beginning  of  the  Fifty-fourth  Congress,  benches  for  these 
floor-messengers  were  provided  in  the  east  and  west  cloak-rooms,  and  electric 
buttons  attached  to  each  of  the  desks.  The  Clerk  of  the  House,  the  two 
reading  clerks  and  the  tally  and  journal  clerks  occupy  the  marble  desk  in  front 
of  the  Speaker,  while  the  one  below  is  assigned  to  the  official  stenographers, 
whose  duties  in  taking  and  preparing  its  proceedings  for  the  Record 'are  similar 
to  those  of  the  stenographers  in  the  Senate.  On  the  Speaker's  right  sits  the 
Sergeant-at-Arms ;  on  his  left,  the  Doorkeeper. 

The  center  aisle  of  the  hall  is  customarily  the  dividing  line  between  the 
two  great  parties,  the  Democrats  sitting  upon  the  Speaker's  right  and  the 
Republicans  upon  his  left.  In  the  present  crowded  condition  of  the  House, 
many  of  the  Republicans  are  forced  to  sit  upon  the  Democratic  side  in  a  row 
of  seats  which  has  become  known  as  the  "  Cherokee  Strip,  or  No  Man's 
Land."  From  this  center  aisle  one  of  the  private  secretaries  to  the  Presi- 
dent announces  the  Messages  of  the  Executive,  and  the  Secretary  of  the 
Senate  any  communication  which  that  honorable  body  may  desire  to  send 
to  the  House.  When  a  division  is  called,  the  tellers,  appointed  by  the 
Speaker  to  count  the  votes,  stand  where  this  aisle  broadens  into  the  semi- 
circular space  before  the  desk  of  the  presiding  officer,  while  the  Members 
pass  between  them.  ,  At  this  bar,  Congressmen  are  arraigned  for  non-attendance 
upon  a  "  call  "  of  the  House.  Here  also  are  brought  those  in  contempt  of 
the  House,  prominent  among  whom  has  been  Hallet  Kilbourn,  a  private  citizen, 


The  National  Capitol 


2OI 


arrested  for  refusing  to  answer  questions  propounded  by  a  committee  in  regard 
to  a  certain  real  estate  "  poo.l  "in  Washington. 

Galleries. — The  galleries  have  a  seating  capacity  for  1,100  persons. 
They  are  open  to  the  public  at  any  time  when  the  House  is  in  session,  with 
the  exception  of  those  which  are  reserved  for  the  press,  the  Cabinet  and  the 
diplomatic  corps,  and  for  the  families  and  friends  of  Members.  The  cen- 
tral southern  gallery,  over  the  Speaker's  chair,  is  the  press  gallery,  where 
the  correspondents  of  the  newspapers  or  news  exchanges  of  this  country  and 
Europe  which  are  represented 
at  the  Capitol  view  and  make 
notes  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  House.  Behind  it,  ample 
means  are  provided  to  send 
by  telegraph  or  telephone  dis- 
patches to  all  parts  of  the 
world. 

Clock. — Directly  oppo- 
site the  press  gallery,  over  the 
main  entrance  to  the  chamber, 
is  a  bronze  clock  which  has 
marked  the  dying  hours  of 
many  sessions.  Its  hands 
have  often  been  conveniently 
turned  back  to  prolong  a  Con- 
gress until  the  business  of  the 

House  could  be  finished.  .The  figures  are  those  of  a  pioneer  and  an  Indian. 
Surmounting  it  is  an  eagle  for  which  the  government  paid  Archer,  Warner, 
Miskey  &  Co.  $150. 

Furniture. — On  February  13,  1807,  in  discussing  in  the  House  an  appro- 
priation of  $20,000  for  the  furnishing  of  their  new  chamber,  where  is  now 
Statuary  Hall,  Mr.  Jackson  made  the  objection  that,  if  approved,  "  the  super- 
intendent would  think  himself  obliged  to  procure  gilded  chairs  and  plated 
tables."  Even  if  the  tables  were  small,  he  said,  "  there  would  be  so  much 
the  more  room.  As  the  present  furniture  was  good  for  nothing  else,  it  must, 
unless  used  by  the  Houst,  be  put  into  a  bonfire"  ;  and  he  was  against  the 
destruction  of  so  much  property.  Much  laughter  was  caused  by  Mr.  Masters 
declaring  that  they  had  "  been  told,  formerly,  that  twenty  thousand  dollars 
was  enough  for  all  the  fortifications  in  the  United  States."  Mr.  Lewis  seemed 
to  have  no  fears  of  waste,  as  the  money  was  to  be  expended  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  President,  and  everyone  knew  Jefferson's  principles  of  economy. 
He  added  that,  though  he  might  never  again  be  a  Member,  yet  "  if  he  did  he 
should,  he  believed,  be  as  willing  to  sit  on  a  stool  as  other  gentlemen.  But 


202  The  National  Capitol 

the  present  furniture  would  not  suit  the  new  chamber  in  the  south  wing." 
This  proved  to  be  correct,  for  when  the  House  moved  and  the  desks  were 
taken  from  the  chamber  where  it  had  been  sitting,  Latrobe  says  :  "  It  was 
found  utterly  impracticable  either  to  place  the  desks  on  the  new  platforms, 
or  to  accommodate  the  platforms  to  the  desks,  without  destroying  all  con- 
venience within  the  House."  $2,164.66  out  of  the  $17,000  which  had 
finally  been  appropriated  for  fitting  up  the  new  hall  were  therefore  expended 
in  purchasing  new  and  better  desks.  Similar  desks  were  adopted  after  the 
restoration. 

When  the  House  first  moved  into  its  present  chamber,  the  Members  were 
accommodated  with  handsomely  carved  oaken  desks  and  chairs.  These  were 
later  removed;  and  for  one  session,  benches  similar  to  those  in  the  House 
of  Commons  were  used,  with  desks  for  writing  in  the  corners  of  the  room. 
These  were  quite  inadequate,  however,  to  the  Members'  spirit  of  indepen- 
dence and  desire  for  elbow-room.  Upon  the  removal  of  the  benches,  the 
former  desks  were  replaced,  but  were  later  succeeded  by  the  present  school- 
boy desks.  Some  of  the  old  benches  are  still  to  be  seen  in  the  Supreme 
Court  chamber,  where  they  are  used  for  the  accommodation  of  visitors.  Of 
late  years,  a  new  moquette  carpet  has  been  laid  upon  Ihe  floor  before  the 
assembling  of  each  new  Congress. 

Paintings. — One  day,  a  boy  was  working  in  a  blacksmith's  shop  near 
Kingston,  New  York.  Up  rode  a  horseman  whose  horse  had  cast  a  shoe.  His 
attention  was  caught  by  a  rough  charcoal  sketch  upon  a  neighboring  barn  door. 
"  Who  drew  that  ?  "  asked  the  horseman.  "  I  did  it,"  said  the  lad.  "  Put 
a  clean  shirt  in  your  pocket,  come  to  New  York,  a*nd  call  upon  me,"  said  the 
stranger.  Some  weeks  later,  the  gentleman  was  breakfasting  at  his  home, 
"  Richmond  Hill."  A  parcel  was  handed  him.  It  contained  a  coarse  shirt, 
and  attached  to  it  was  his  address  in  his  own  handwriting.  He  welcomed 
the  blacksmith's  apprentice  into  his  family,  and  helped  him  to  an  education 
in  the  arts.  Some  years  later,  the  horseman  was  an  exile  in  France — "  a  man 
without  a  country."  The  lad  was  famous.  He  did  not  forget  his  benefactor. 
The  horseman  was  Aaron  Burr  ;  the  lad,  John  Vanderlyn. 

The  full-length  painting  of  Washington  to  the  left  of  the  Speaker's 
chair  is  by  this  artist.  The  tradition  is  that,  when  the  picture  of  Lafayette  was 
presented  to  the  government  and  placed  on  one  side  of  the  Speaker's  chair  in 
the  old  hall,  the  necessity  for  one  upon  the  opposite  side  to  balance  it  was 
apparent.  Vanderlyn  was  accordingly  commissioned  to  paint  a  picture  of 
Washington  as  a  companion-piece;  and  he  painted  this,  with  slight  altera- 
tions, from  the  painting  by  Gilbert  Stuart,  his  former  master,  on  the  walls 
of  the  White  House.  The  likelihood  of  this  story  seems  to  be  borne  out  by 
a  careful  comparison  of  the  present  painting  with  that  on  the  walls  of  the 
Executive  Mansion. 


The  National  Capitol  203 

The  corresponding  picture  to  the  right  of  the  Speaker  is  of  Lafayette,  from 
the  brush  of  Ary  Scheffer,  the  great  Dutch  painter,  who  was  a  personal  friend 
and  political  supporter  of  the  Frenchman.  It  was  executed  at  the  order  of 
Lafayette  himself,  who  brought  it  to  this  country  in  1824,  upon  his  second 
visit  to  the  United  States,  and  presented  it  to  Congress. 

The  California  landscape  upon  the  extreme  left  is  by  Albert  Bierstadt. 
Many  think  it  represents  what  might  be  styled  the  natal  day  of  the  Upper 
California  mission.  In  1601,  Viscaino,  the  explorer,  visited  that  coast. 
"We  have  already  observed,"  writes  Torquemada,  "that  on  the  i6th  of 
December  the  squadron  put  into  this  port  which  was  called  Monte-rey, 
in  honour  of  the  count  de  Monte-rey,  viceroy  of  New  Spain ;  by  whom  they 
had  been  sent  on  this  discovery,  pursuant  to  his  Majesty's  orders.  The 
next  day  the  general  directed  preparations  to  be  made,  that  the  fathers 
Andrew  de  la  Assumpcion  and  Antonio  de  la  Ascencion,  might  say  mass  dur- 
ing their  stay  there.  The  church  was  erected  under  a  large  oak  close  to  the 
sea  side,  and  within  twenty  paces  of  it  were  some  wells  affording  plenty  of 
excellent  water."  Others,  however,  ably  contend  that  Bierstadt  intended 
here  to  celebrate  with  his  brush  the  spot  where  Spanish  tradition  says  Junipero 
Serra,  the  "  Father  of  California,"  surrounded  by  his  disciples,  first  said 
mass  at  Monterey  in  1769,  under  an  oak  on  the  shores  of  the  beautiful  bay. 
If  we  were  to  ask  the  artist  himself  as  to  his  meaning,  he  would,  no  doubt, 
evade  the  question,  as  the  poet  Browning  cleverly  evaded  a  similar  inquiry : 
"  Ask  the  Browning  Societies.  They  know."  The  artist  demanded  $40,000 
apiece  for  two  paintings  for  the  Hall  of  Representatives.  He  received 
$10,000  each  for  this  and  the  one  on  the  right  of  the  Speaker's  chair. 

The  painting  to  the  right,  purchased  in  1875,  has  for  its  theme  the  Dis- 
covery of  the  Hudson  by  Hendrik  Hudson,  an  Englishman  then  in  the 
employ  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company.  Bierstadt  is  an  intellectual  rather 
than  an  emotional  painter.  There  is  little  play  of  fancy  in  his  work.  In  his 
landscapes  he  follows  the  Diisseldorf  school.  "  Having  received  a  Govern- 
ment Commission,"  writes  Tuckerman,  "  Bierstadt  sailed  for  Europe,  in 
June,  1867,  to  make  some  studies  for  a  picture  of  the  discovery  of  the  North 
River  by  Henry  Hudson, — a  subject  admirably  adapted  to  his  pencil,  and 
to  national  historical  landscape.  It  was  because  of  his  conviction  that  the 
patient  and  faithful  study  of  Nature  is  the  only  adequate  school  of  landscape 
art  that  Bierstadt,  like  Cole  and  Church,  fixed  his  abode  on  the  banks  of  the 
Hudson.  His  spacious  studio,  but  recently  erected,  commands  a  beautiful 
and  extensive  view  of  the  noble  river,  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Tap- 
pan  Zee  and  the  Palisades.  Wandering  through  the  fields  there,  one  summer 
day,  we  looked  back  from  the  brow  of  a  hill  upon  one  of  those  magnificent 
yet  unusual  sunsets,  no  where  beheld  so  often  as  on  this  Western  continent ; 
a  friend  at  our  side  remarked  :  '  If  it  were  possible  to  transfer  these  brilliant 


204  The  National  Capitol 

hues  and  this  wonderful  cloud-picture  to  canvas — how  few  would  regard  the 
work  as  a  genuine  reflex  of  a  sublime  natural  effect ! '  Just  at  that  moment, 
in  turning  the  angle  of  an  orchard,  we  came  in  sight  of  Bierstadt,  seated  on 
a  camp-stool,  rapidly  and  with  skilful  eagerness  depicting  the  marvelous  sunset, 
as  a  study  for  future  use ;  and  the  incident  was  but  another  evidence  of  the 
wisdom  and  fidelity  of  his  method  in  seeking  both  his  subjects  and  inspira- 
tion directly  from  Nature." 

The  picture  on  the  extreme  right  represents  a  scene  at  the  headquarters  of 
Washington  at  Yorktown  on  October  17,  1781.  The  American  general  is 
represented  standing,  in  the  act  of  receiving  a  letter  which  has  come  through 
the  lines  under  a  flag  of  truce.  Lord  Cornwallis  sues  for  cessation  of  hostili- 
ties for  twenty-four  hours  that  commissioners  may  be  appointed  to  settle 
upon  terms  of  surrender.  Washington,  however,  seeing  in  this  a  mere  subter- 
fuge to  await  the  arrival  of  a  fleet  expected  at  any  moment  with  reenforce- 
ments  from  New  York  commanded  by  Sir  James  Clinton,  grants  Cornwallis 
but  two  hours,  stipulating  that,  at  the  end  of  that  time,  he  must  transmit 
definite  proposals  in  writing.  Thus  baffled  in  his  designs,  the  British  com- 
mander complied  with  Washington's  demands.  The  final  surrender  took  place 
on  the  igth  ;  and  not  until  that  day  did  Clinton  sail  from  New  York.  When, 
on  the  24th,  he  arrived  and  learned  of  the  surrender,  he  returned  immediately 
to  the  north. 

This  work  is  in  fresco.  The  painter,  piqued  at  the  bitter  attacks  made 
upon  the  foreign  artists,  contrary  to  his  usual  custom,  for  he  did  not  often 
sign  his  work,  wrote  boldly  in  the  right-hand  lower  corner,  "  C.  Brumidi, 
Artist,  Citizen  of  the  U.  S. ,"  as  if  to  emphasize  his  citizenship  and  patriot- 
ism. The  painting  thus  signed  is  one  of  those  least  worthy  of  his  name. 

Maiden  Speech  of  the  Chamber. — "The  1 6th  of  December,  1857," 
writes  S.  S.  Cox,  in  his  Three  Decades  of  Federal  Legislation,  "  is  memo- 
rable in  the  annals  of  Congress.  Looking  back  to  that  day,  the  writer  can 
see  the  members  of  the  House  of  Representatives  take  up  the  line  of  march 
out  of  the  old  shadowy  and  murmurous  chamber,  into  the  new  hall  with  its 
ornate  and  gilded  interior.  The  scene  is  intense  in  a  rare  dramatic  quality. 
Above  shine  in  vary-colored  lights,  the  escutcheons  of  thirty  States ;  around 
sit  the  members  upon  richly  carved  oaken  chairs.  Already  arrayed  upon 
either  side  are  the  sections  in  mutual  animosity.  The  Republicans  take  the 
left  of  the  Speaker,  the  Democrats  the  right.  James  L.  Orr,  of  South  Caro- 
lina, a  full  roseate-faced  gentleman  of  large  build  and  ringing  metallic  voice 
is  in  the  chair.  James  C.  Allen,  of  Illinois,  sits  below  him  in  the  Clerk's 
desk.  •  The  Rev.  Mr.  Carothers  offers  an  appropriate  and  inspiring  prayer. 
He  asks  the  Divine  favor  upon  those  in  authority;  and  then,  with  trembling 
tones,  he  implores  that  the  hall  just  dedicated  as  the  place  wherein  the  politi- 
cal, and  constitutional  rights  of  our  countrymen  shall  ever  be  maintained  and 


The  National  Capitol 


205 


CHAMBER    OF  THE   HOUSE   OF   REPRESENTATIVES 


defended,  may  be  a  temple  of  honor  and  glory  to  this  land.  '  May  the  delib- 
erations therein  make  our  nation  the  praise  of  the  whole  earth,  for  Christ's 
sake.'  A  solemn  hush  succeeds  this  invocation.  The  routine  of  journal 
reading;  a  reference  of  the  Agricultural  College  bill,  upon  the  request  of 
the  then-member,  now  Senator,  from  Vermont,  Justin  L.  Morrill ;  and  the 
presentation  of  a  communication  regarding  the  chaplaincy  from  the  clergy  of 
Washington ;  are  followed  by  the  drawing  of  seats  for  the  members,  who 
retire  to  the  open  space  in  the  hall.  A  page  with  bandaged  eyes  makes  the 
award,  and  one  by  one  the  members  are  seated.  Then,  by  the  courtesy  of  the 
chairman  of  the  Printing  Committee,  Mr.  Smith  of  Tennessee,  a  young  mem- 
ber from  Ohio  is  allowed  to  take  the  floor.  He  addresses  the  Speaker  with 
tim'dity  and  modesty,  amid  many  interruptions  by  Humphrey  Marshall,  of 
Kentucky,  Mr.  Bocock,  of  Virginia,  Judge  Hughes,  of  Indiana,  George  W. 


206  The  National  Capitol 

Jones,  of  Tennessee,  and  General  Whitman,  of  Mississippi,  each  of  whom 
bristles  with  points  of  order  against  the  points  of  the  orator.  But  that  young 
member  is  soon  observed  by  a  quiet  House.  Many  listen  to  him — perhaps  to 
judge  of  the  acoustic  property  of  the  hall,  some  because  of  the  nature  of  the 
debate  ;  and  then,  after  a  few  minutes,  all  become  excited  !  Again  and  again 
the  shrill  and  high  tones  of  Mr.  Speaker  Orr  are  heard  above  the  uproar.  He 
exclaims  :  '  This  is  a  motion  to  print  extra  copies  of  the  President's  Message. 
Debate  on  the  subject  of  the  message  is,  therefore,  in  order — upon  which  the 
gentleman  from  Ohio  has  the  floor  ! '  That  gentleman  is  now  the  writer.  His 
theme  was  the  Lecompton  Constitution.  As  the  questions  discussed  involved 
the  great  issues  leading  to  war  or  peace,  his  interest  in  the  mise-en-scene 
became  less ;  but  his  maiden  speech — the  maiden  speech  in  the  new  chamber 
— began  under  influences  anything  but  composing." 

Notable  Events. — As  this  chamber  is  occupied  by  the  Representatives, 
in  it  originate,  according  to  the  Constitution,  all  bills  for  raising  revenue  and, 
by  custom,  most  bills  appropriating  money  out  of  the  Treasury  of  the  United 
States.  Eulogies  are  held  here  in  honor  of  Senators  and  Representatives  who 
iie  while  in  Congress ;  the  proceedings  are  not  only  printed  in  the  Record, 
but  for  distribution. 

The  memorial  address  on  the  life  and  character  of  Abraham  Lincoln 
was  delivered  by  George  Bancroft  in  the  chamber  of  the  House  on  the  i2th  of 
February,  1866,  at  the  request  of  both  Houses  of  Congress.  The  assemblage, 
both  official  and  civil,  as  well  as  the  historian-orator,  was  an  honor  to  the 
nation's  greatest  dead.  The  Marine  Band  occupied  the  ante-room  behind  the 
reporters'  gallery,  and  discoursed  appropriate  music. 

On  Tuesday  evening,  April  16,  1872,  a  large  number  of  distinguished 
people  assembled  here  to  do  the  last  honor  to  the  scientist,  Samuel  Finley 
Breese  Morse,  LL. D.  The  memorial  services  were  conducted  under  the 
direction  of  the  National  Telegraph  Memorial  Monument  Association  and  of 
a  committee  appointed  by  the  House.  His  portrait,  painted  by  Bendan  of 
Baltimore,  framed  in  black  and  wreathed  with  evergreens,  looked  down  from 
the  parapet  of  the  gallery  facing  the  Speaker.  On  it  were  the  words  :  "  What 
hath  God  wrought!"  Immediately -behind  was  the  Marine  Band.  The 
"  Choral  Society  "  were  upon  the  floor  in  front.  On  the  Speaker's  right  sat 
Vice-President  Colfax.  President  Grant  and  his  Cabinet,  several  members 
of  the  deceased's  family  and  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  and  of 
the  District  of  Columbia  occupied  the  front  row  of  seats  before  the  Speaker. 
At  the  Clerk's  desk,  telegraphic  instruments  ticked  ceaselessly  another  and 
yet  more  vivid  tribute  to  the  mute  but  ever-living  dead.  James  A.  Garfield 
and  S.  S.  Cox  were  among  those  who  addressed  the  reverent  throng.  After 
the  prayer,  Mr.  Speaker  Blaine  opened  the  ceremonies  with  the  words  :  "  Less 
than  thirty  years  ago  a  man  of  genius  and  learning  was  an  earnest  petitioner 


The  National  Capitol  207 

before  Congress  for  the  small  pecuniary  aid  that  enabled  him  to  test  certain 
occult  theories  of  science  which  he  had  laboriously  evolved.  To-night  the 
Representatives  of  forty  millions  of  people  assemble  in  their  legislative  hall 
to  do  homage  and  honor  to  the  name  of  Morse." 

Seven  years  later,  at  eight  o'clock  on  Thursday  evening,  January  i6th,  the 
Senate  and  House  assembled  in  the  same  chamber  to  perform  a  similar  mourn- 
ful duty  in  honor  of  another  scientist  dead.  Samuel  J.  Randall,  as  Speaker, 
called  the  body  to  order,  and  then  presented  the  gavel  to  Vice-President 
Wheeler,  who  was  to  preside  with  his  support.  President  Hayes  with  mem- 
bers of  his  Cabinet  occupied  the  front  seats  to  the  right,  the  Chief  Justice 
and  associate  justices  corresponding  seats  to  the  left.  To  more  fully  bespeak 
the  honor  thus  conferred  upon  the  memory  of  Joseph  Henry,  late  Secre- 
tary of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  we  have  but  to  remember  that  William 
T.  Sherman,  James  A.  Garfield,  S.  S.  Cox  and  Asa  Gray,  the  botanist,  added 
to  the  occasion  the  tribute  of  their  words.  The  eulogium  of  Hannibal  Ham- 
lin,  because  of  his  unavoidable  absence,  was  read  by  the  Vice-President. 

Here,  on  Monday,  the  27th  of  February,  1882,  occurred  the  exercises  in 
commemoration  of  the  life  and  character  of  James  A.  Garfield,  the  eulo- 
gium being  pronounced  at  the  special  invitation  of  Congress  by  James  G. 
Elaine.  John  Sherman  was  chairman  of  the  committee  on  the  part  of  the 
Senate  ;  William  McKinley,  Jr.,  on  the  part  of  the  House.  The  assemblage, 
which  filled  te  their  capacity  the  floor  and  galleries,  was  among  the  most 
notable  ever  gathered  within  the  walls  of  the  Capitol.  The  Senators  attended 
in  a  body,  as  well  as  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  and 
many  distinguished  in  the  army,  the  navy  and  civil  life,  out  of  respect  to  the 
martyred  President. 

One  of  the  most  impressive  funeral  ceremonies  which  have  taken  place  at 
the  Capitol  was  that  in  honor  of  Chief  Justice  Waite,  in  the  Hall  of 
Representatives,  March  28,  1888.  At  twelve  o'clock,  the  casket  was  borne 
through  the  east  doors  into  the  rotunda,  where  it  was  placed  upon  two  stools 
awaiting  the  formation  of  the  procession  to  the  House.  There  the  heavy 
chairs  of  Russia  leather  from  the  Speaker's  lobby  had  been  arranged  before 
his  desk  about  the  spot  reserved  for  the  casket.  President  Cleveland  and  his 
Cabinet,  the  Lieutenant-General  of  the  army,  Rear-Admiral  Porter,  diplomats 
and  others  distinguished  in  law,  legislation,  letters  and  war  filled  the  hall  in 
tribute  to  the  departed.  Mr.  Ingalls,  President  pro  tempore  of  the  Senate, 
sat  upon  the  Speaker's  right.  Bishop  Paret  and  six  assistants  in  Episcopal 
robes  entered  the  door  and  stood  silently  in  the  aisle  while  the  cortege  formed 
behind  them.  "  I  am  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life,"  rang  out  again  and 
again  through  the  great  legislative  hall  in  the  impressive  voice  of  the  Bishop 
as  the  procession  moved  down  the  aisle.  The  Congressional  committee  wore 
white  sashes  with  crape  rosettes.  The  casket  was  borne  by  messengers  of  the 


208  The  National  Capitol 

Court.  Behind  it  came  members  of  the  bereaved  family,  followed  by  the 
justices.  The  choir  of  Epiphany  Church  sang  the  funeral  chant,  "  Lord,  let 
me  know  mine  end,"  as  the  casket  was  placed  upon  the  bier.  The  Episcopal 
funeral  service  was  pronounced  from  the  Clerk's  desk.  As  the  Bishop  read 
the  "  Apostles'  Creed,"  the  vast  audience  upon  the  floor  and  in  the  galleries 
arose,  many  uniting  their  voices  in  the  solemn  service.  The  hymn,  "  Abide 
with  Me,"  was  sung  during  the  ceremony,  and  as  the  cortege  left  the  chamber 
at  the  completion  of  the  exercises,  a  li'ttle  before  one  o'clock,  the  words  of 
"  Asleep  in  Jesus  "  reverberated  softly  through  the  great  hall. 

The  Electoral  Count. — The  President  and  Vice-President  are  not  truly 
elected  until  the  votes  cast  by  the  electors  chosen  by  the  people  of  the  several 
States  are  counted,  according  to  the  Constitution,  in  the  presence  of  the 
Senate  and  House  of  Representatives,  and  the  Vice-President  declares  that 
each  has  received  the  requisite  majority  of  ballots.  This  ceremony  custo- 
marily takes  place  in  the  House  Chamber.  First,  the  Doorkeeper  of  the 
House  announces  the  arrival  of  the  Vice-President  and  Senate,  preceded  by  a 
half  dozen  Capitol  police  and  by  a  doorkeeper  of  the  Senate,  who  bears  two 
cherry  boxes  in  which  are  the  electoral  votes  still  sealed  just  as  they  were 
delivered  to  the  Vice-President  by  the  special  messenger  of  each  State.  The 
Secretary  of  the  Senate  escorts  the  Vice-President  to  the  Speaker's  chair. 
They  are  followed  down  the  aisle  by  the  two-  Senators  who  are  to  act  as  tellers 
'on  behalf  of  the  Senate,  and  by  the  remaining  Senators,  two  by  two,  to  whom 
are  assigned  the  front  rows  of  seats  on  the  right  of  the  Speaker.  Two  keys 
are  then  placed  upon  the  Speaker's  desk  by  the  Secretary,  with  which  the 
Vice-President  opens  the  boxes.  From  these  he  takes  long  brown  envelopes, 
each  marked  with  the  name  of  its  State,  and  for  the  first  time  breaks  their 
inner  wrappers.  The  enclosed  certificates  are  then  read — that  only,  however, 
from  Alabama,  as  it  is  the  first  in  the  alphabetical  list,  in  full — and  given  to 
the  tellers,  of  whom  there  are  two  also  on  the  part  of  the  House.  When  all 
are  opened,  the  tellers  announce  the  number  of  votes  for  each  candidate,  the 
Secretary  gathers  up  the  originals  of  the  certificates  and  the  duplicates  taken 
from  the  second  box,  and  the  Vice-President  declares  the  result.  Then  falls 
the  gavel,  and  the  electoral  count  is  finished.  In  a  few  moments,  the  House 
resumes  its  session.  An  amusing  incident  occurred  at  the  count  in  1893. 
Vice-President  Morton  was  unable  to  find  one  of  the  keys,  and  only  after  con- 
siderable search  and  much  discomfiture  at  last  discovered  it  in  his  own  vest 
pocket. 

House  Library. — The  House  Library  is  in  the  upper  story  of  the  annex, 
north  of  the  main  corridor  on  the  gallery  floor.  It  contains  the  records  of 
every  Congress  from  the  first  to  the  present  one,  state  papers,  the  Executive^ 
Senate  and  House  Documents,  and  the  Statutes  at  Large — an  invaluable  col- 
lection for  studious  Members. 


The  National  Capitol 

Portraits  of  Clay,  Bedford  and  Carroll.— A  full-length  portrait  of 
Henry  Clay,  executed  by  Jno.  Nagle  in  1843  and  purchased  for  $1,500,  hangs 
on  the  wall  above  the  eastern  staircase.  To  the  right  and  left,  respectively, 
are  portraits  of  Gunning  Bedford  of  Delaware  and  of  Charles  Carroll,  the 
signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  When  Hancock  .asked  the  latter 
if  he  would  sign,  he  answered  :  "  Most  willingly,"  and  taking  a  pen,  at  once 
put  his  name  to  the  iastrument.  "There  go  a  few  millions,"  said  one  of 
those  who  stood  by ;  and  all  present  agreed  that  in  point  of  fortune  few  risked 
more  than  Charles  Carroll  of  Carrollton.  At  the  time  of  the  purchase  of  the 
picture,  in  1868,  Mr.  John  B.  Latrobe  and  Mr.  John  Robertson,  an  artist  of 
Baltimore,  wrote  letters  giving  a  brief  history  of  it  and  certifying  to  its  artistic 
merits  and  authenticity  as  one  of  Sully's.  One  thousand  dollars  was  paid  for  it. 

Proclamation  of  Emancipation. — On  the  wall  above  the  landing  of 
the  staircase  is  the  much-copied  painting  by  Frank  Carpenter  of  New  York, 
known  as  the  Signing  of  the  Proclamation  of  Emancipation.  This  picture, 
painted  at  the  White  House  in  1864,  represents  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet 
there,  in  the  room  set  apart  for  such  meetings,  when  President  Lincoln  read 
his  Proclamation  of  the  22d  of  September,  1862.  Lincoln  is  in  the  fore- 
ground, presiding  at  the  head  of  the  long  table,  in  his  left  hand  the  great 
Proclamation,  and  in  his  right  a  quill  pen,  which,  on  this  occasion,  was  truly 
"mightier  than  the  sword."  Behind  the  President,  on  his  right,  stands 
Salmon  P.  Chase,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  by  whom  is  seated  Edwin  M. 
Stanton,  Secretary  of  War.  Upon  Lincoln's  left  sits  William  H.  Seward, 
Secretary  of  State;  while  at  the  rear,  in  the  center  of  the  painting,  sits 
Gideon  W7elles,  Secretary  of  the  Navy.  On  the  extreme  right,  Edward  Bates, 
Attorney-General,  is  also  seated  at  the  table;  and  of  the  two  Cabinet  officers 
standing  together  in  the  background,  the"  taller  is  Montgomery  Blair,  Post- 
master-General, and  the  other,  Caleb  Smith,  Secretary  of  the  Interior. 

When  the  artist  first  met  President  Lincoln,  at  a  reception  at  the  White 
House,  he  was  welcomed  with  these  words  :  "  Oh,  yes;  I  know;  this  is  the 
painter."  Then  straightening  himself  to  his  full  height,  with  a  twinkle  in 
his  eye,  the  President  added  playfully :  "  Do  you  think,  Mr.  Carpenter,  that 
you  can  make  a  handsome  picture  of  me?"  Carpenter  describes  his  next 
interview  with  the  Executive  in  this  wise:  "He  received  me  pleasantly, 
giving  me  a  seat  near  his  own  arm-chair ;  and  after  having  read  Mr.  Lovejoy's 
note,  he  took  off  his  spectacles,  and  said,  '  Well,  Mr.  Carpenter,  we  will  turn 
you  in  loose  here,  and  try  to  give  you  a  good  chance  to  work  out  your  idea.' 
Then,  without  paying  much  attention  to  the  enthusiastic  expression  of  my 
ambitious  desire  and  purpose,  he  proceeded  to  give  me  a  detailed  account  of 
the  history  and  issue  of  the  great  proclamation.  Having  concluded  this 
interesting  statement,  the  President  then  proceeded  to  show  me  the  various 
positions  occupied  by  himself  and  the  different  members  of  the  Cabinet,  on 

14 


210  The  National  Capitol 

the  occasion  of  the  first  meeting.  '  As  nearly  as  I  remember,'  said  he,  '  I  sat 
near  the  head  of  the  table ;  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  and  the  Secretary 
of  War  were  here,  at  my  right  hand ;  the  others  were  grouped  at  the  left.' 

"  At  this  point  I  exhibited  to  him  a  pencil  sketch  of  the  composition' as  I 
had  conceived  it,  with  no  knowledge  of  the  facts  or  details.  The  leading 
idea  of  this  I  found  to  be  entirely  consistent  with  the  account  I  had  just 
heard.  I  saw,  however,  that  I  should  have  to  reverse  the  picture,  placing  the 
President  at  the  other  end  of  the  table,  to  make  it  accord  with  his  descrip- 
tion. I  had  resolved  to  discard  all  appliances  and  tricks  of  picture-making, 
and  endeavor,  as  faithfully  as  possible,  to  represent  the  scene  as  it  actually 
transpired;  room,  furniture,  accessories,  all  were  to  be  painted  from  the  actu- 
alities. It  was  a  scene  second  only  in  historical  importance  and  interest  to 
that  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence ;  and  I  felt  assured,  that,  if  honestly 
and  earnestly  painted,  it  need  borrow  no  interest  from  imaginary  curtain  or 
column,  gorgeous  furniture  or  allegorical  statue.  Assenting  heartily  to  what 
is  called  the  '  realistic '  school  of  art,  when  applied  to  the  illustration  of  his- 
toric events,  I  felt  in  this  case,  that  I  had  no  more  right  to  depart  from  the 
facts,  than  has  the  historian  in  his  record. 

"  The  general  arrangement  of  the  group,  as  described  by  the  President, 
was  fortunately  entirely  consistent  with  my  purpose,  which  was  to  give  that 
prominence  to  the  different  individuals  which  belonged  to  them  respectively 
in  the  Administration.  There  was  a  curious  mingling  of  fact  and  allegory  in 
my  mind,  as  I  assigned  to  each  his  place  on  the  canvas.  There  were  two  ele- 
ments in  the  Cabinet,  the  radical  and  the  conservative.  Mr.  Lincoln  was 
placed  at  the  head  of  the  official  table,  between  two  groups,  nearest  that  rep- 
resenting the  radical,  but  the  uniting  point  of  both.  The  chief  powers  of 
government  are  War  and  Finance  :  the  ministers  of  these  were  at  his  right, — 
the  Secretary  of  War,  symbolizing  the  great  struggle,  in  the  immediate  fore- 
ground ;  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  actively  supporting  the  new  policy, 
standing  by  the  President's  side.  The  Army  being  the  right  hand,  the  Navy 
may  very  properly  be  styled  the  left  hand  of  the  government.  The  place  for 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  seemed,  therefore,  very  naturally  to  be  on  Mr.  Lin- 
coln's left,  at  the  rear  of  the  table.  To  the  Secretary  of  State,  as  the  great 
expounder  of  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party,  the  profound  and  saga- 
cious statesman,  would  the  attention  of  all  at  such  a  time  be  given.  Entitled 
to  precedence  in  discussion  by  his  position  in  the  Cabinet,  he  would  necessa- 
rily form  one  of  the  central  figures  of  the  group.  The  four  chief  officers  of 
the  government  were  thus  brought,  in  accordance  with  their  relations  to  the 
Administration,  nearest  the  person  of  the  President,  who,  with  the  manu- 
script proclamation  in  hand,  which  he  had  just  read,  was  represented  leaning 
forward,  listening  to,  and  intently  considering  the  views  presented  by,  the  Sec- 
retary of  State.  The  Attorney-General,  absorbed  in  the  constitutional  ques- 


The  National  Capitol  211 

tions  involved,  with  folded  arms,  was  placed  at  the  foot  of  the  table  oppo- 
site the  President.  The  Secretary  of  the  Interior  and  the  Postmaster-General, 
occupying  the  less  conspicuous  positions  of  the  Cabinet,  seemed  to  take  their 
proper  places  in  the  background  of  the  picture." 

"  When,  at  length,"  continues  the  artist,  "  the  conception  as  thus  described 
was  sketched  upon  the  large  canvas,  and  Mr.  Lincoln  came  in  to  see  it,  his 
gratifying  remark,  often  subsequently  repeated,  was,  '  It  is  as  good  as  it  can 
be  made.' 

"  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  enthusiasm  in  which  the  work  was  con- 
ceived, flagged  not  to  the  end.  The  days  were  too  short  for  labor  upon  it. 
Lighting  at  nightfall  the  great  chandelier  of  the  state  dining-room,  which  was 
finally  assigned  me  for  a  studio  instead  of  the  library,  where  the  windows  were 
shaded  by  the  portico,  the  morning  light  frequently  broke  in  upon  me  still 
standing  pencil  or  palette  in  hand,  before  the  immense  canvas,  unable  to  break 
the  spell  which  bound  me  to  it.  *  We  will  turn  you  in  loose  here,'  proved  an 
'  open  sesame  '  to  me  during  the  subsequent  months  of  my  occupation  at  the 
White  House.  My  access  to  the  official  chamber  was  made  nearly  as  free  as 
that  of  the  private  secretaries,  unless  special  business  was  being  transacted. 
Sometimes  a  stranger,  approaching  the  President  with  a  low  tone,  would  turn 
an  inquiring  eye  toward  the  place  where  I  sat,  absorbed  frequently  in  a  pencil 
sketch  of  some  object  in  the  room.  This  would  be  met  by  the  hearty  tones  of 
Mr.  Lincoln, — I  can  hear  them  yet  ringing  in  my  ears, — '  Oh,  you  need  not 
mind  him;  he  is  but  a  painter.'  There  was  a  satisfaction  to  me,  differing 
from  that  of  any  other  experience,  in  simply  sitting  with  him.  Absorbed  in 
his  papers,  he  would  become  unconscious  of  my  presence,  while  I  intently 
studied  every  line  and  shade  of  expression  in  that  furrowed  face.  In  repose, 
it  was  the  saddest  face  I  ever  knew." 

It  is  not  necessary  to  tell  the  story  of  the  six  months  of  incessant  labor 
spent  by  the  artist  at  the  White  House  upon  this  work,  nor  to  repeat  the 
encomiums  or  criticisms  of  the  press  and  public  upon  the  painting  during  the 
days  when  it  hung  in  the  East  Room,  by  the  kind  permission  of  the  President, 
in  order  that  the  people  might  have  an  opportunity  to  see  and  enjoy  it.  The 
final  view  of  the  picture  taken  by  the  Executive  and  the  artist  together  before 
the  latter's  farewell  to  his  work  at  the  Executive  Mansion  is  characteristic  of 
the  great  war-President  in  his  relations  to  men  in  far  diverging  walks  of  life, 
and  shows  him  in  the  new  light  of  an  art  critic:  "Turning  to  me,"  writes 
the  artist,  "President  Lincoln  said:  'Well,  Carpenter,  I  must  go  in  and 
take  one  more  look  at  the  picture  before  you  leave  us.'  So  saying,  he  accom- 
panied me  to  the  East  Room,  and  sitting  down  in  front  of  it,  remained  for 
some  time  in  silence.  I  said  that  I  had  at  length  worked  out  my  idea,  as  he 
expressed  it  at  our  first  interview,  and  would  now  be  glad  to  hear  his  final 
suggestions  and  criticism. 


212  The  National  Capitol 

"  '  There  is  little  to  find  fault  with,'  he  replied;  '  the  portraiture  is  the 
main  thing,  and  that  seems  to  me  absolutely  perfect. ' 

"  I  then  called  his  attention  afresh  to  the  accessories  of  the  picture,  stat- 
ing that  these  had  been  selected  from  the  objects  in  the  Cabinet  chamber  with 
reference  solely  to  their  bearing  upon  the  subject.  '  Yes,'  said  he,  '  there  are 
the  war-maps,  the  portfolios,  the  stave-map,  and  all ;  but  the  book  in  the 
corner,  leaning  against  the  chair-leg, — you  have  changed  the  title  of  that,  I 
see.'  'Yes,'  I  replied;  'at  the  last  moment  I  learned  that  you  frequently 
consulted,  during  the  period  you  were  preparing  the  Proclamation,  Solicitor 
Whiting's  work  on  the  '  War  Powers  of  the  President,'  and  as  Emancipation  was 
the  result  in  fact  of  a  military  necessity,  the  book  seemed  to  me  just  the  thing 
to  go  in  there ;  so  I  simply  changed  the  title,  leaving  the  old  sheepskin  cover 
as  it  was.'  '  Now,'  said  he,  '  Whiting's  book  is  not  a  regular  law-book.  It 
is  all  very  well  that  it  should  be  there;  but  I  would  suggest  that  as  you  have 
changed  the  title,  you  change  also  the  character  of  the  binding.  It  now  looks 
like  an  old  volume  of  United  States  Statutes.'  I  thanked  him  for  this  criti- 
cism, and  then  said  :  '  Is  thrfre  anything  else  that  you  would  like  changed  or 
added  ?'  'No,'  he  replied,  and  then  repeated  very  emphatically  the  ex- 
pression he  used  when  the  design  was  first  sketched  upon  the  canvas  :  '  It  is  as 
good  as  it  can  be  made.' 

"  I  then  referred  at  some  length  to  the  enthusiasm  in  which  the  picture 
was  conceived  and  had  been  executed,  concluding  with  an  expression  of  my 
profound  appreciation  of  the  very  unusual  opportunities  afforded  me  in  the 
prosecution  of  the  work,  and  his  unvarying  kindness  and  consideration 
through  the  many  weeks  of  our  intercourse. 

"  He  listened  pensively, — almost  passively,  to  me, — his  eyes  fastened 
upon  the  picture.  As  I  finished  he  turned, 'and  in  his  simple-hearted,  ear- 
nest way,  said  :  '  Carpenter,  I  believe  I  am  about  as  glad  over  the  success  of 
this  work  as  you  are.'  And  with  these  words  in  my  ear,  and  a  cordial  '  good- 
bye '  grasp  of  the  hand,  President  and  painter  separated." 

In  his  masterly  lecture  upon  Abraham  Lincoln,  Colonel  Robert  G.  Inger- 
soll  tells  an  anecdote  which  throws  a  humanizing  ray  upon  this  canvas  :  "  On 
the  22d  of  July,  1862,  Lincoln  sent  word  to  the  members  of  his  cabinet  that 
he  wished  to  see  them.  It  so  happened  that  Secretary  Chase  was  the  first  to 
arrive.  He  found  Lincoln  reading  a  book.  Looking  up  from  the  page,  the 
President  said  :  '  Chase,  did  you  ever  read  this  book  ?  '  '  What  book  is  it  ? ' 
asked  Chase.  '  Artemus  Ward,'  replied  Lincoln.  'Let  me  read  you  this 
chapter,  entitled  "  Wax  Wurx  in  Albany."  '  And  so  he  began  reading  while 
the  other  members  of  the  cabinet  one  by  one  came  in.  At  last  Stanton  told 
Mr.  Lincoln  that  he  was  in  a  great  hurry,  and  if  any  business  was  to  be  done 
he  would  like  to  do  it  at  once.  Whereupon  Mr.  Lincoln  laid  down  the  open 
book — opened  a  drawer,  took  out  a  paper  and  said  :  '  Gentlemen,  I  have 


1 


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PROPOSED   BRONZE    DOORS — HOUSE    WING 
By  permission  of  Edward  Clark 


The  National  Capitol  215 

called  you  together  to  notify  you  what  I  have  determined  to  do — I  want  no 
advice.  Nothing  can  change  my  mind.' 

"  He  then  read  the  Proclamation  of  Emancipation — Chase  thought  there 
ought  to  be  something  about  God  at  the  close,  to  which  Lincoln  replied : 
'  Put  it  in,  it  won't  hurt  it.'  It  was  also  agreed  that  the  President  would 
wait  for  a  victory  in  the  field  before  giving  the  Proclamation  to  the  world. 

"  The  meeting  was  over,  the  members  went  their  way.  Mr.  Chase  was 
the  last  to  go,  and  as  he  went  through  the  door  looked  back  and  saw  that  Mr. 
Lincoln  had  taken  up  the  book  and  was  again  engrossed  in  the  Jl'ax  Il'ur.v  at 
Albany." 

This  painting  was  purchased  from  Frank  H.  Carpenter,  the  artist,  for 
>j5,ooo,  and  was  formally  presented  to  Congress,  February  12,  1878,  by  Mrs. 
Kli/abeth  Thompson,  for  which  she  received  its  thanks  through  a  joint 
resolution,  approved  February  ist.  The  ceremony  of  acceptance  was  quite 
impressive.  During  the  short  recess  just  preceding,  the  picture,  which, 
covered  with  the  American  flag,  had  been  suspended  back  of  the  Speaker's 
chair,  was  unveiled.  At  two  minutes  before  two  o'clock,  the  House  came  to 
order.  The  Senate,  preceded  by  the  Vice-President  and  accompanied  by  its 
Sergeant- at- Arms,  entered  the  hall  in  a  body  and  took  the  seats  assigned  to 
it.  The  donor  and  the  artist  were  honored  with  seats  upon  the  floor.  The 
Vice-President  sat  upon  the  right  of  the  Speaker.  Garfield,  a  Northern  gen- 
eral, made  the  presentation  speech.  He  was  followed  by  Stephens,  formerly 
the  Vice-President  of  the  Confederacy.  The  thanks  of  Congress  conferred 
upon  Mrs.  Thompson  the  privilege  of  the  floor  of  the  House  during  any  of  its 
sessions.  Only  one  other  woman  has  been  similarly  honored,  Dolly  Madison, 
the  wife  of  President  Madison,  who  received  the  thanks  of  the  House  in  1844, 
presumably  for  her  distinguished  character  and  for  her  courage  in  preserving 
for  the  enjoyment  of  posterity  the  famous  Gilbert  Stuart  painting  of  Washing- 
ton, which  hung  upon  the  walls  of  the  White  House  when  the  city  was  burned 
by  the  British  in  1814.  It  is  not  remembered,  however,  that  either  Mrs.  Madi- 
son or  Mrs.  Thompson  ever  availed  herself  of  the  privilege  thus  conferred. 

Statue  of  Jefferson. — In  the  niche  at  the  foot  of  the  stairway  stands  a 
marble  statue  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  for  which  the  government  paid  #10,000. 
This  sum  was  a  part  of  an  appropriation  made  by  the  act  of  March  3,  1855, 
authorizing  the  President  to  contract  with  Hiram  Powers  for  some  work  of  art 
to  adorn  the  Capitol. 

Proposed  Bronze  Doors. — In  1855,  Thomas  Crawford  was  engaged  to 
furnish  designs  for  doors,  to  be  cast  in  bronze,  for  the  eastern  entrance  to 
the  House  wing.  These  designs  were  executed  in  plaster  in  1864  by  William 
H.  Rinehart  for  $8, 940,  and,  for  many  years,  have  been  stored  beneath  the 
crypt.  No  appropriation  has  been  made  for  their  casting.  The  panels  repre- 
sent historical  scenes  during  the  days  of  the  building  of  the  nation. 


2l6 


The  National  Capitol 


Sergeant-at-Arms'  and  Committee  Rooms. 

— The  rooms  of  the  Committees  on  Military  Affairs, 
adorned  with  a  series  of  paintings  of  the  forts  of  the 
United  States,  and  on  Ways  and  Means,  decorated  in 
fresco,  are  on  the  main  floor  and  front  to  the  east. 
It  is  the  duty  of  the  latter  committee  to  frame  in 
the  first  instance  all  tariff  legislation  for  the  country. 
Each  bill  is  customarily  named,  by  courtesy,  after  the 
chairman  of  the  committee  at  the  time,  as  he  is 
usually  the  leader  of  his  party  and  necessarily  rep- 
resents the  measure  upon  the  floor.  In  this  room, 
the  famous  Mills,  McKinley,  Wilson  and  Dingley 
tariff  bills  were  formulated  before  they  were  reported 
to  the  House  for  its  action. 

In  the  southeast  corner  of  the  wing  is  the  office 
of  the  Sergeant-at-Arms,  one  of  whose  agreeable 
duties  it  is  to  compel  the  attendance  of  absent  Mem- 
bers upon  a  "  call  "  of  the  House.  As  its  disbursing 
officer,  he  pays  the  salaries,  mileage  and  funeral 
expenses  of  its  Members,  disbursing  yearly  from 
$2,250,000  to  $2,500,000. 

Great  Mace. — Among  the  official  duties  of  the 
Sergeant-at-Arms  rests  also  the  care  of  the  Great 
Mace.  This  time-honored  emblem  of  authority  is 
composed  of  thirteen  ebony  sticks,  silver-bound  and 
surmounted  by  a  silver  globe,  delicately  engraved 

with  the  map  of  the  world,  upon  the  top  of  which  rests  a  silver  eagle  with 
wings  outstretched.  A  few  minutes  before  the  assembling  of  the  House,  it  is 
the  duty  of  an  assistant  Sergeant-at-Arms  to  carry  the  mace  to  the  floor  and 
rest  it  on  the  platform,  prepared  for  that  purpose,  against  the  wall  beside  the 
Speaker.  When  the  Chaplain  finishes  the  benediction,  the  Speaker  declares 
the  House  in  session,  and  the  mace  is  raised  and  placed  upon  its  immovable 
pedestal  of  malachite,  where  it  remains  until  the  House  adjourns.  The 
assistant  Sergeant-at-Arms  then  formally  bears  it  back  and  replaces  it  in  the 
custody  of  his  superior. 

The  House  is  not  always  an  orderly  body.  This  was  especially  so  in  war 
times.  Indeed,  as  late  as  August  27,  1890,  Mr.  Enloe  appropriately  asked 
the  Speaker  if  it  would  not  "  be  in  order  to  substitute  the  Marquis  of  Queens- 
berry  rules  for  the  rules  of  the  House  and  proceed  to  do  business"?  The 
question  of  enforcing  order  is  a  vital  one,  and  two  Members  are  reported 
as  once  saying  defiantly:  "Let  them  try  it."  Whenever  during  sessions 
the  House  becomes  too  turbulent  for  the  Speaker  to  control,  he  directs  the 


The  National  Capitol  217 

Sergeant-at-Arms  to  take  the  mace  from  its  pedestal  and  carry  it  among  the 
Members.  It  has  been  upon  the  rarest  occasions  only  that  this  authority  has 
not  been  immediately  respected. 

Taulbee-Kincaid  Affair. — On  February  28,  1890,  shortly  before  two 
P.M.,  the  stairs  leading  from  the  eastern  corridor  of  the  House  to  the  base- 
ment were  the  scene  of  a  tragedy.  Ex-Representative  William  Preston  Taul- 
bee  of  Kentucky  was  shot  by  Charles  E.  Kincaid,  correspondent  of  the 
Louisville  Times,  as  he  was  descending  the  lower  flight.  The  primary  cause 
of  the  trouble  was  generally  accredited  to  an  account  of  a  scandal,  published 
about  a  year  before  in  Judge  Kincaid' s  paper,  in  which  were  insinuations  of 
Taulbee's  implication.  He  certainly  believed  Kincaid  wrote  the  article.  Two 
hours  before  the  shooting,  an  altercation  had  occurred  between  the  gentlemen 
near  the  east  entrance  to  the  House  floor.  The  wounded  man  did  not  fall, 
but  staggered  down  the  steps.  He  was  taken  to  the  room  of  the  Committee  on 
Public  Buildings  and  Grounds,  where  he  was  soon  surrounded  by  most  of  the 
Kentucky  delegation.  Kincaid  was  removed  to  the  guard  room  of  the  Capi- 
tol. Taulbee  died  at  five  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  March  n,  1890.  The 
autopsy  showed  the  ball  lodged  at  the  base  of  the  brain.  On  April  8,  1891, 
a  jury  in  the  Criminal  Court  of  the  District  of  Columbia  found  Kincaid 
"  Not  guilty." 


STATUARY   HALL 


THE  central  or  northern  doors  lead- 
ing to  the  floor  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives form  the  southern  terminus 
of  the  main  corridor  of  the  Capitol. 
Through  this  long  interior  vista,  incase 
all  doors  are  opened  and  obstructions 
removed,  the  Vice-President  of  the 
United  States  and  the  Speaker  of  the 
House  can  see,  but  not  recognize,  each 
other,  while  presiding  over  their  respec- 
tive legislative  bodies  at  the  two  ends 
of  the  Capitol. 

Old  Hall  of  Representatives. — 
This  corridor  passes  through  Statuary 
Hall,  which,  as  the  original  Hall  of 
Representatives,  was  occupied  by  the 
House  from  1807  to  1814,  when  the 
British  burned  the  Capitol,  and  again, 
after  the  restoration  by  Latrobe,  until 
the  1 6th  of  September,  1857,  when  that 
body  formally  took  possession  of  its 
present  chamber.  Since  that  time,  the 
hall  has  not  been  altered,  save  to  re- 
move the  furniture  and  draperies  and  to  tile  the  floor.  This  was  once  nearly 
four  feet  lower  than  it  is  to-day,  and  in  its  elevation  relative  to  that  of  the 
Senate,  no  doubt,  took  rise  the  otherwise  inappropriate  title  of  the  "  Lower 
House." 

In  the  old  days,  even  after  the  restoration,  there  were  few  decorations  in 
the  Capitol.  The  walls  for  the  most  part  were  plain,  and  whitewashed  every 
year.  No  extensive  lobbies,  as  now,  existed  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
Members.  When  there  was  a  "  call  "  of  the  House,  a  vote  or  a  motion  for 
adjournment,  Representatives  were  notified  by  two  large  bells,  one  in  each  of 
the  corridors  down  stairs  near  the  committee  rooms,  which  were  rung  by  the 
doorkeepers  in  such  a  manner  as  to  distinguish  their  meaning.  These  sounded 
like  great  fire -bells  through  the  Capitol. 


The  National  Capitol  219 

i 

Librarian  Watterston,  writing  in  1842  of  this  chamber,  says  the  capitals 
of  the  pillars  support  a  "  dome  with  painted  caissons,  to  represent  that  of  the 
Pantheon  at  Rome.  From  the  centre  of  this  dome  is  erected,  to  admit  the 
light  from  above,  a  handsome  cupola,  richly  painted  and  ornamented  by  a 
young  Italian  artist  named  Bonani,  who  also  painted  the  ceiling,  and  who  died 
in  this  city  soon  after  it  was  completed.  The  colossal  figure  of  Liberty  (in 
plaster)  is  byCausici.  On  the  entablature  beneath  is  sculptured  in  stone  the 
American  eagle  in  the  act  of  taking  wing,  executed  by  another  Italian  artist 
(Valaperti)  of  high  reputation,  who  has  left  but  this  single  specimen  of  his 
talents  in  this  country,  and  who  disappeared  suddenly  and  mysteriously  soon 
after  it  was  executed.  Between  columns,  at  their  base,  are  placed  sofas  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  members  and  those  who  are  privileged  to  enter  the 
Hall  ;  and  within  the  bar,  in  a  semicircle  fronting  the  Speaker's  chair,  are 
seated  the  members  of  the  House,  each  of  whom  is  furnished  with  a  mahog- 
any desk,  an  armed  chair,  and  writing  materials.  The  entran  -es  to  the  galler- 
ies are  at  the  south  end  of  the  wing;  and  at  the  point  on  each  side  of  the 
Hall,  where  the  staircases  diverge,  is  stationed  a  doorkeeper,  to  prevent  the 
persons  from  passing  into  the  ladies'  gallery,  who  are  excluded  by  the  rule, 
and  to  direct  others  who  are  not  the  way  in  to  it,  and  also  to  the  gentlemen's 
gallery  opposite.  There  is  also  a  passage  to  those  galleries  from  the  interior 
of  the  Hall,  which  leads  through  two  lobbies.  On  the  left  of  the  eastern 
lobby  are  the  Speaker's  room  and  that  of  the  Sergeant-at-Arms,  and  above  the 
latter  an  apartment  for  bound  documents  and  state  papers,  called  the  Library 
of  the  House.  At  the  same  elevation  in  the  western  lobby  are  two  commo- 
dious apartments,  which  are  used  as  the  depositories  of  Executive  and  Con- 
gressional  documents  not  bound,  and  for  immediate  use.  Below  one  of  these 
and  on  the  floor  of  the  lobby  formed  by  an  angle  of  the  building,  is  the  Post 
Office  of  the  House." 

Lafayette's  picture,  presented  to  Congress  during  his  last  visit  to  America, 
then  hung  on  the  west  side  of  the  loggia;  Vanderlyn's  Washington  in  a  panel 
on  the  opposite  side.  Dickens,  who  visited  Congress  nearly  every  day  during 
his  stay  in  Washington  in  the  same  year,  describes  this  chamber  as  "  a  beau- 
tiful and  spacious  hall  of  semicircular  shape,  supported  by  handsome  pil- 
lars. One  part  of  the  gallery  is  appropriated  to  the  ladies,  and  there  they 
sit  in  front  rows,  and  come  in,  and  go  out,  as  at  a  play  or  concert.  The  chair 
is  canopied,  and  raised  considerably  above  the  floor  of  the  House ;  and  every 
member  has  an  easy-chair  and  a  writing-desk  to  himself ;  which  is  denounced 
by  some  people  out-of-doors  as  a  most  unfortunate  and  injudicious  arrange- 
ment, tending  to  long  sittings  and  prosaic  speeches.  It  is  an  elegant  chamber 
to  look  at,  but  a  singularly  bad  one  for  all  purposes  of  hearing.  Both  Houses 
are  handsomely  carpeted ;  but  the  state  to  which  these  carpets  are  reduced  by 
the  universal  disregard  of  the  spittoon  with  which  every  honorable  member  is 


220  The  National  Capitol 

accommodated,  and  the  extraordinary  improvements  on  the  pattern  which 
are  squirted  and  dabbled  upon  it  in  every  direction,  do  not  admit  of  being 
described.  It  is  strange  enough  too,  to  see  an  honorable  gentleman  leaning 
back  in  his  tilted  chair  with  his  legs  on  the  desk  before  him,  shaping  a  con- 
venient '  plug '  with  his  pen  knife,  and  when  it  is  quite  ready  for  use,  shoot- 
ing the  old  one  with  his  mouth  as  from  a  pop-gun,  and  clapping  the  new  one 
in  its  place.  I  was  surprised  to  observe  that  even  steady  old  chewers  of  great 
experience  are  not  always  good  marksmen." 

Notable  Events. — Madison  was  twice  inaugurated  in  this  old  Hall  of 
Representatives,  before  the  restoration,  on  March  4,  1809  and  1813  ;  Monroe 
once,  after  the  restoration,  on  March  5,  1821,  the  4th  having  fallen  on  Sun- 
day. Chief  Justice  Marshall  administered  the  oath  on  each  occasion.  Jeffer- 
son's proclamation  of  1808  required  the  Senate  to  convene  in  extra  session 
in  the  Senate  Chamber.  When  the  time  came,  however,  they  assembled  in 
the  Hall  of  Representatives,  and  there  the  new  Senators  took  the  oath  of 
office.  After  the  ceremony  of  the  inauguration  was  completed,  the  President 
retired,  and  the  Senators  repaired  to  their  own  chamber.  At  the  two  other 
inaugurations,  there  being  no  necessity  to  confirm  new  Cabinets,  no  proclama- 
tions were  issued  convening  the  Senate.  In  1813,  Madison  was  escorted  to  the 
Capitol  by  the  District  cavalry,  where  he  was  received  by  several  volunteer 
corps  of  Washington,  Georgetown  and  Alexandria,  drawn  up  in  line.  He 
delivered  his  speech  in  the  presence  of  many  Members  of  Congress,  the 
justices  of  the  Supreme  Court,  the  foreign  Ministers  and  a  large  gathering 
of  ladies  and  gentlemen.  Monroe  had  a  less  propitious  day  in  1821 ;  for 
snow  and  rain  had  fallen  during  the  preceding  night;  yet  the  ceremony  was 
perhaps  even  more  imposing  within  doors.  Immense  crowds  thronged  the 
Capitol,  and  at  least  two  thousand  persons  gained  admission  to  the  chamber 
itself.  The  President  took  his  place  on  the  platform  in  front  of  the  Speaker's 
chair.  He  first  took  the  oath  of  office,  and  then,  with  the  Chief  Justice 
still  standing  at  his  side,  delivered  his  inaugural.  About  were  grouped  noted 
dignitaries  of  the  government  and  members  of  the  foreign  legations,  while 
many  ladies  occupied  seats  in  the  interior.  The  Marine  Band  played  as  the 
President  entered  and  as  he  left  the  chamber.  Vice-President  Tompkins  had 
already  taken  the  oath,  on  entering  his  second  term,  at  his  private  residence 
on  Saturday,  the  3d.  Here,  also,  on  July  10,  1850,  the  day  following  the 
death  of  President  Taylor,  the  Heads  of  Departments  and  the  Senate  joined  the 
House ;  and  at  noon,  William  Cranch,  Chief  Judge  of  the  Circuit  Court  of 
the  United  States  for  the  District  of  Columbia,  administered  the  oath  of  office 
to  Millard  Fillniore. 

Election  of  President  by  House. — When  the  electoral  votes  were 
counted  in  the  old  Senate  Chamber  in  1825,  it  was  found  that  John  C.  Cal- 
houn  was  duly  elected  Vice-President,  but  that  none  of  the  candidates  for 


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The  National  Capitol  223 

President  had  received  a  majority  of  the  votes.  According  to  the  Constitu- 
tion, therefore,  the  House,  after  the  Speaker  had  appointed  a  teller  from  each 
of  the  twenty-four  States  in  the  Union,  proceeded  to  ballot  by  States  for  the 
three  who  had  received  the  highest  number,  Andrew  Jackson,  John  Quincy 
Adams  and  William  H.  Crawford.  Upon  the  count  it  was  found  that  Adams 
had  received  the  votes  of  thirteen  States,  and  the  Speaker  declared  him  elected 
President.  At  this  announcement,  there  was  some  clapping  of  hands,  but  also 
hisses,  and  the  galleries  were  cleared.  The  election  caused  much  dissatisfac- 
tion among  those  who  had  voted  for  Jackson,  as  he  had  received  the  largest 
popular  vote.  Many  attributed  the  result  to  an  alliance  between  Adams  and 
Clay,  and  John  Randolph  soon  after  in  the  Senate  evidently  referred  to  it 
when  he  said :  "I  was  defeated,  horse,  foot,  and  dragoons — cut  up,  clean 
broke  down  by  the  coalition  of  Blifil  and  Black  George — by  the  combination, 
unheard  of  till  then,  of  the  Puritan  with  the  Black-leg!"  Randolph's  repeated 
charges  drew  a  challenge  from  Clay.  The  duel  took  place  on  the  banks  of 
the  Potomac,  but  Randolph  fired  in  the  air  and  no  one  was  hurt. 

Attempted  Assassination  of  Jackson. — On  the  afternoon  of  January 
30,  1835,  trie  funeral  services  of  a  Representative  from  South  Carolina  in 
this  hall  barely  escaped  forming  the  prelude  to  a  great  tragedy.  President 
Jackson,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Woodbury  and  Mr.  Dickerson,  was  near  the 
head  of  the  procession  which  was  to  escort  the  departed  to  the  grave.  The 
President  had  crossed  the  rotunda  and  was  about  to  step  upon  the  eastern  por- 
tico when  a  man  rushed  forth  from  the  crowd,  and,  leveling  a  pistol  at  the 
breast  of  the  Executive,  but  eight  feet  away,  pulled  the  trigger.  The  spec- 
tators were  breathless.  The  cap  exploded  with  a  loud  report,  but  the  pistol 
was  not  discharged.  Dropping  it  quickly  to  the  floor,  the  would-be  assassin 
attempted  to  fire  a  second  weapon,  with  the  same  fortunate  result.  The  Presi- 
dent, wild  with  rage  and  thoughtless  of  danger,  rushed  at  his  adversary  with 
uplifted  cane.  Lieutenant  Gedney  of  the  navy,  however,  knocked  the  mad- 
man down  before  the  President  reached  him. 

Harriet  Martineau  was  a  witness  of  this  scene.  "  We  went  to  the  Capi- 
tol," she  writes,  "  at  about  half  an  hour  before  noon,  and  found  many  ladies 
already  seated  in  the  gallery  of  the  Hall  of  Representatives.  I  chanced  to 
be  at  the  precise  point  of  the  gallery  where  the  sounds  from  every  part  of 
the  House  are  concentrated ;  so  that  I  heard  the  whole  service,  while  I  was  at 
such  a  distance  as  to  command  a  view  of  the  entire  scene.  In  the  chair  were 
the  President  of  the  Senate  and  the  Speaker  of  the  Representatives.  Below 
them  sat  the  officiating  clergyman ;  immediately  opposite  to  whom  were  the 
president  and  heads  of  departments  on  one  side  the  coffin,  and  the  judges  of 
the  Supreme  Court  and  members  of  the  Senate  on  the  other.  The  representa- 
tives sat  in  rows  behind,  each  with  crape  around  the  left  arm ;  some  in  black ; 
many  in  blue  coats  with  bright  buttons.  Some  of  the  fiercest  political  foes 


224  The  National  Capitol 

in  the  country ;  some  who  never  meet  on  any  other  occasion — the  president 
and  the  South  Carolina  senators,  for  instance — now  sat  knee  to  knee,  necessarily 
looking  into  each  others'  faces.  With  a  coffin  beside  them,  and  such  an  event 
awaiting  their  exit,  how  out  of  place  was  hatred  here  ! 

"  After  prayers  there  Was  a  sermon,  in  which  warning  of  death  was  brought 
home  to  all,  and  particularly  to  the  aged;  and  the  vanity  of  all  disturbances 
of  human  passion  when  in  view  of  the  grave  was  dwelt  upon.  There  sat  the 
gray-headed  old  president,  at  that  time  feeble,  and  looking  scarcely  able  to 
go  through  this  ceremonial.  I  saw  him  apparently  listening  to  the  discourse ; 
I  saw  him  rise  when  it  was  over,  and  follow  the  coffin  in  his  turn,  somewhat 
feebly ;  I  saw  him  disappear  in  the  doorway,  and  immediately  descended 
with  my  party  to  the  Rotundo,  in  order  to  behold  the  departure  of  the  pro- 
cession for  the  grave.  At  the  bottom  of  the  stairs  a  member  of  Congress  met 
us,  pale  and  trembling,  with  the  news  that  the  president  had  been  twice  fired 
at  with  a  pistol  by  an  assassin  who  had  waylaid  him  in  the  portico,  but  that 
both  pistols  had  missed  fire.  At  this  moment  the  assassin  rushed  into  the 
•Rotundo  where  we  were  standing,  pursued  and  instantly  surrounded  by  a  crowd. 
I  saw  his  hands  and  half-bare  arms  struggling  above  the  heads  of  the  crowd 
in  resistance  to  being  handcuffed.  He  was  presently  overpowered,  conveyed 
to  a  carriage,  and  taken  before  a  magistrate.  The  attack  threw  the  old  soldier 
into  a  tremendous  passion.  He  fears  nothing,  but  his  temper  is  not  equal  to 
his  courage.  Instead  of  his  putting  the  event  calmly  aside,  and  proceeding 
with  the  business  of  the  hour,  it  was  found  necessary  to  put  him  in  his  car- 
riage and  take  him  home. 

"  We  feared  what  the  consequences  would  be.  We  had  little  doubt  that  the 
assassin  Lawrence  was  mad ;  and  as  little  that,  before  the  day  was  out,  we 
should  hear  the  crime  imputed  to  more  than  one  political  party  or  individual. 
And  so  it  was.  Before  two  hours  were  over,  the  name  of  almost  every  eminent 
politician  was  mixed  up  with  that  of  the  poor  maniac  who  caused  the  uproar. 
The  president's  misconduct  on  the  occasion  was  the  most  virulent  and  pro- 
tracted." 

Death  of  John  Quincy  Adams. — On  February  13,  1847,  during  the  dis- 
cussion of  the  "  Three  Million  Dollar"  bill,  John  Quincy  Adams,  who  had 
been  dangerously  ill,  appeared  for  the  first  time  in  Congress  during  that  ses- 
sion. As  he  passed  into  this  old  Hall  of  Representatives,  the  entire  House 
arose  from  their  seats  out  of  respect;  all  business  was  temporarily  suspended; 
and  Andrew  Johnson,  afterwards  President,  turning  to  the  chair  said  that  in 
accordance  with  his  intention  when  he  selected  his  present  seat  he  now 
renounced  it  in  favor  of  the  former  President  of  the  United  States.  The 
bronze  tablet  to-day  upon  the  floor  marks  the  spot  where  stood  this  desk,  and 
where  later  that  veteran  of  politics  was  prostrated.  When  the  House  moved 
into  its  present  quarters,  the  mahogany  desks  in  the  old  hall  were  sold,  and, 


The  National  Capitol  225 

it  is  said,  this  desk  of  John  Quincy  Adams  brought  more  than  any  of  the  rest. 
The  commemorative  tablet  was  laid  at  the  instance  of  ex-Governor  Long  of 
Massachusetts  when  a  Member  of  the  Fiftieth  Congress. 

The  death  of  Adams  is  graphically  told  by  Charles  Jared  Ingersoll,  his 
fellow-Member:  "On  the  2ist  of  February,  1848,  he  underwent  his  death- 
stroke  in  attempting  to  give  utterance  to  an  emotion.  The  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives were  voting  thanks  to  several  of  the  generals  in  the  Mexican  War, 
to  which  he  was  opposed,  not  only  because  of  his  disapproval  of  the  war  and 
the  administration  charged  with  it,  but  because,  as  he  objected,  some  of  the 
generals  were  under  charges  to  be  tried  for  misconduct.  Uttering  his  nay  to 
the  Clerk's  call  for  votes,  with  the  petulant  vehemence  he  often  effected,  as  if 
not  merely  to  negative  but  stigmatize  the  proposition,  and  soon  afterwards, 
trying,  as  is  believed,  to  rise  and  say  something,  he  sunk  forward  in  his  seat 
senseless,  in  a  fit  of  mortal  paralysis.  A  crowd  of  members  rushed  to  his 
help,  and  keeping  my  place  at  some  distance,  I  did  not  see  him  till  lifted 
up  and  borne  off  by  Dr.  George  Fries,  one  of  the  Ohio  members,  who, 
attended  by  many  others,  carried  him  through  the  middle  aisle  out  of  the 
House,  by  the  centre  door  into  the  rotunda,  where  Dr.  Fries  in  his  lap  sup- 
ported Mr.  Adams,  till  a  sofa  was  brought,  on  which  he  was  laid  and  taken 
into  the  Speaker's  room.  Almost  inanimate,  he  is  said  to  have  uttered  a  few 
words,  '  This  is  the  last  of  earth,'  as  his  valedictory  to  the  world,  from  which 
he  had -prepared  for  conspicuous  departure.  His  family,  friends,  and  several 
ministers  of  the  Gospel  soon  came  and  prayed  for  him,  not,  however,  with- 
out misunderstanding  as  to  which  clergyman  was  best  entitled,  and  further 
heart  burning  afterwards  concerning  their  invitations  to  the  funeral,  as  pas- 
sionately preached  by  one  of  the  disappointed  from  the  pulpit  the  following 
Sunday. 

"  Mr.  Adams  longed  to  die  in  the  Capitol,  and  surpassed  Chatham's 
death,  which  he  emulated.  If  Adams  could  have  expired  when,  as  well  as 
where,  he  wished,  it  would  have  been  next  day  after  his  attack,  the  22d 
February,  Washington's  birth-day,  instead  of  living  until  the  evening  of  the 
23d. 

"  Hated  and  vilified  as  he  had  been  in  the  Capitol,  his  death  was  instantly 
followed  there  by  a  gush  of  unanimous  veneration  for  his  memory,  and  un- 
bounded respect  for  his  mortal  remains. 

"  Adjourning  at  once  on  his  apparent,  the  House  of  Representatives 
adjourned  again  the  next  two  days,  awaiting  his  actual  demise,  and  then  the 
rest  of  the  week  for  his  obsequies. 

"The  Hall  and  his  chair  were  draped  in  mourning  on  the  day  of  his 
funeral,  and  many  of  the  houses  of  Washington  in  like  manner." 

They  first  bore  the  couch  of  the  dying  statesman  to  the  east  door  of  the 
rotunda,  where  are  now  the  bronze  portals,  hoping  that  the  fresh  air  might 
is 


226  The  National  Capitol 

revive  him.  This  view  across  what  might  be  appropriately  called  the  Presi- 
dent's portico  was  the  last  fading  impression  of  the  world  outside  the  Capitol 
reflected  by  the  shattered  mind.  The  atmosphere,  alas,  was  chilly  and  heavy 
with  vapor;  and  at  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Winthrop,  the  couch  was  taken  to 
the  Speaker's  room.  Mrs.  Adams  and  the  nephew  and  niece  of  the  afflicted 
arrived  post  haste  but  they  could  do  little  else  than  watch  the  image  fade 
before  their  tear-stained  eyes. 

The  funeral  ceremonies  were  held  in  the  Hall  of  Representatives  on  the 
26th.  The  Capitol  was  filled  to  overflowing.  The  old  hall  was  shrouded  in 
black  with  "-great  taste  and  judgment  by  the  officers  of  the  House,  under  the 
suggestion,  and  kind  supervision  of  a  distinguished  lady."  The  fair  figure  of 
History  was  robed  in  black,  save  the  arm  "holding  the  recording  pen,"  says 
the  Intelligencer,  "  whose  alabaster  whiteness,  in  strong  contrast  with  the  sur- 
rounding stole,  had  a  fine  effect ;  heightened  as  it  was  by  the  attitude  of  the 
head,  which,  turning  towards  one  side,  happened  to  have  its  countenance  in 
the  very  direction  where  stood  the  vacant  seat  of  Mr.  Adams,  as  if  in  the  act  of 
recording  the  solemn  circumstances  of  his  death.  That  seat  by  order  of  the 
house  was  draped  in  mourning,  and  by  the  fact  of  its  vacancy  recalled  every 
beholder  to  the  blow  which  had  there  fallen,  like  a  thunderbolt  from  a  cloud- 
less sky.  The  portraits  of  Washington  and  Lafayette,  on  either  hand  of  the 
•chair,  were  covered  over  with  thin  crape,  casting  a  melancholy  dimness  over 
the  features,  without  entirely  concealing  them,  the  frames  being  covered  with 
a  deeper  black.  The  effect  of  this,  too,  was  very  fine,  most  truly  representing 
what  would  have  been  the  feeling  of  both  those  distinguished  men  if  alive  to 
witness  the  solemn  scene  ;  for  Washington  gave  the  deceased  his  first  Com- 
mission, and  Lafayette  embraced  him  in  his  arms  when  taking  his  last  adieu 
of  America." 

Seats  before  the  desk  were  reserved  for  judges,  the  Cabinet,  the  diplomatic 
fcorps  and  the  committee  of  arrangements,  which  consisted  of  one  Represen- 
tative from  each  State  in  the  Union.  In  the  center  stood  a  table,  covered 
with  a  black  velvet  pall,  to  support  the  casket.  Behind  the  foreign  repre- 
sentatives were  the  seats  for  officers  of  the  army  and  navy.  Clergymen  also 
were  accorded  places  upon  the  floor,  some  coming  from  Alexandria,  Balti- 
more and  even  Massachusetts  to  attend  the  ceremony.  Seats  for  the  family 
were  reserved  upon  the  extreme  left.  Some  of  the  diplomats  appeared  in  full 
court  dress,  with  orders  and  decorations,  while  others  came  in  simple  suits  of 
black.  The  Speaker,  President  of  the  Senate,  officers  of  both  Houses,  mem- 
bers of  the  committee  of  arrangements  and  attendant  physicians  wore  white 
scarfs.  The  galleries  and  lobbies  were  packed  to  suffocation.  Following  the 
reading  of  the  journal,  the  Senate  entered,  preceded  by  its  venerable  presid- 
ing officer,  George  Mifflin  Dallas,  with  white  and  flowing  hair.  He  sat  upon 
the  Speaker's  left.  Everyone  arose  as  James  K.  Polk,  the  President  of  the 


The  National  Capitol  227 

United  States,  entered  the  hall.  The  casket  was  escorted  by  the  committee 
of  arrangements  and  followed  by  the  Massachusetts  delegation  as  mourners. 
Chaplain  Gurley  read  from  Scripture  and  offered  prayer.  The  choir  then  sang 
a  hymn.  The  address  followed,  after  which  came  the  closing  hymn  and 
apostolic  benediction. 

As  soon  as  the  ceremonies  were  completed,  the  procession  formed.  The 
casket  was  borne  to  the  rotunda,  out  the  eastern  portal,  and  down  the  steps, 
where  carriages  were  in  waiting.  The  funeral  car  was  canopied  in  black 
velvet  and  surmounted  by  an  eagle  with  wings  outstretched,  covered  with 
crape.  It  was  drawn  by  six  white  horses,  led  by  as  many  grooms — both  horses 
and  grooms  attired  in  sable.  The  casket  was  covered  with  black  velvet,  orna- 
mented with  silver  lace.  Upon  its  plate  was  the  following  inscription : 

John  Quincy  Adams, 

Born 
An  Inhabitant  of  Massachusetts,  July  n,  1767, 

Died 

A  Citizen  of  the  United  States, 
In  the  Capitol  of  Washington, 

February  23,  1848  ; 
Having  served  his  Country  for  Half  a  Century, 

And 
Enjoyed  its  Highest  Honors. 

Acoustics. — The  difficulty  of  speaking  and  hearing  in  this  hall  was  much 
complained  of  by  the  Members  from  the  first  time  they  occupied  it,  in  1807. 
The  present  flooring  is  tessellated  in  black  and  white  marble.  Some  of  these 
squares  have  accidentally  fallen  into  key  with  the  peculiar  form  of  the  ceil- 
ing, arch  and  dome,  and  now  definitely  mark  the  marvelous  acoustic  proper- 
ties of  the  hall,  in  the  way  of  whispering  galleries,  curious  echoes  and  ven- 
triloquist effects.  These  strange  echoes  have  constantly  baffled  the  most 
skilful  efforts  of  various  architects.  Their  history  forms  an  interesting  chap- 
ter, not  only  architecturally  but  popularly.  It  is  especially  amusing  to  observe 
how  learnedly  Latrobe  comments  upon  them,  and  how  readily  he  points  out 
for  the  edification  of  Congress  all  the  difficulties  and  their  remedies;  for, 
when  it  fell  to  his  lot  to  rebuild  the  old  south  wing  after  the  fire,  though 
untrammelled  in  the  supervision,  his  theories  *  did  not  solve  the  difficulty. 
Thornton  always  maintained  that  the  chamber  would  have  given  no  trouble 
had  Latrobe  but  followed  his  original  design.  The  curious  echoes  still  cling 
to  the  old  hall  and  reverberate  strangely  in  the  ears,  like  admonitions  from 
the  spirits  of  departed  statesmen  whose  voices  once  rang  out  within  its  walls. 

*  For  reports,  see  Appendix,  pp.  261-273. 


228  The  National  Capitol 

There  is  certainly  something  ghpstly  about  it,  with  its  circular  assembly  of 
mute  representatives  in  bronze  and  marble  and  its  wonderful  whispering  walls. 

The  acoustic  properties  of  the  room  are  truly  unaccountable,  as  it  was  mod- 
eled after  buildings  successfully  used  for  theaters  and  auditoriums  in  Greece 
and  Rome,  and  is  quite  similar  in  design  to  the  French  Chamber  of  Deputies 
in  Paris.  Some  of  the  difficulty  was  obviated,  however,  by  a  simple  sugges- 
tion *  of  Robert  Mills,  an  architect,  who,  in  1832,  showed  the  fallacy  in  the 
arrangement  of  the  seats  by  which  Representatives  were  compelled  to  speak 
toward  the  flat  wall  at  the  south  end  of  the  room,  where  the  Speaker  had 
his  desk,  near  the  center  of  the  prostyle.  The  seats  were  accordingly  reversed 
with  slightly  beneficial  results,  the  presiding  officer  occupying  the  north  end 
of  the  room  and  the  Members  speaking  toward  the  semi-circular  wall. 

Franzoni  Clock. — The  clock  above  the  door  which  leads  to  the  rotunda 
was  carved  from  a  solid  piece  of  marble  by  Franzoni,  and  commands  admira- 
tion for  its  beauty.  Clio,  the  Muse  who  presides  over  History,  standing  in  a 
winged  chariot,  records  the  passing  events  of  the  nation  upon  tablets.  The 
wheels  indicate  the  flight  of  time  as  the  car  rolls  over  a  globe,  which  is 
encircled  by  a  belt  whereon  are  chiseled  the  signs  of  the  zodiac.  This 
artistic  bit  was  carved  in  the  Capitol  at  a  per  diem  compensation.  Its  cost 
is  unknown.  Behind  the  clock  runs  a  semi-circular  gallery,  once  occupied 
by  wealth  and  fashion,  but  now  the  depository  of  hundreds  of  dusty,  rarely- 
read  volumes. 

Statuary. — This  old  Hall  of  Representatives  was  set  apart  as  a  National 
Hall  of  Statuary  by  a  provision  of  the  sundry  civil  bill  of  July  2,  1864,  pur- 
suant to  a  resolution  offered  by  Mr.  Morrill  of  Vermont.  The  President, 
at  the  same  time,  was  given  authority  to  invite  each  State  to  contribute  for  its 
adornment  two  statues  in  bronze  or  marble,  of  deceased  citizens  of  the  State, 
whom,  "for  their  historic  renown  or  from  civic  or  military  services,"  she 
should  consider  worthy  of  such  national  commemoration.  At  present,  only 
thirteen  States  have  responded  to  this  call. 

In  the  southeast  corner  stand  the  contributions  of  the  State  of  Connecti- 
cut, Roger  Sherman  and  Jonathan  Trumbull,  by  the  same  sculptor,  C.  B. 
Ives.  Trumbull  was  Governor  of  the  Colony  and  first  Governor  of  the  State. 
Washington,  who  "relied  on  him  as  one  of  his  main  pillars  of  support," 
called  him  "  Brother  Jonathan,"  and  from  this  has  come  the  nickname  of  the 
"United  States.  The  next  in  the  circle,  John  P.  Muhlenberg,  by  Blanche 
Nevin,  is  from  Pennsylvania.  On  the  .  Sunday  following  the  news  of  the 
battle  of  Lexington,  he  preached  a  sermon  which  will  live  in  the  memory  of 
man  as  long  as  history  is  read.  The  congregation  was  startled  by  its  dramatic 
climax,  excusable  because  of  its  sincere  patriotism.  Throwing  off  the  robes 

*  For  report,  see  Appendix,  p.  268. 


The  National  Capitol 


229 


of  the  minister,  he  stepped  forth  in  the  uniform  of  the  soldier,  uttering  the 
words  :  "  There  is  a  time  for  all  things — a  time  to  preach  and  a  time  to  fight 
— and  now  is  the  time  to  fight."      He  then  organized  a  company  of  troops1 
from  among  his  congregation,  joined  Washington's  army,  became  a  general, 
and  was  present  at  the  surrender  of  Lord  Cornwall  is  at  York  town. 

From  Vermont  comes  a  statue,  by  Larkin  C.  Mead,  of  Ethan  Allen,  the 


hero  of  Ticonderoga,  who  demanded  its  surrender  "in  the  name  of  the  great 
Jehovah  and  the  Continental  Congress."  Michigan  sends  one  statue,  of 
Lewis  (.'ass,  the  work  of  the  eminent  sculptor,  Daniel  C.  French,  whose 
"Minute  Man"  at  Concord,  Massachusetts,  is  universally  admired.  The 
artist  had  an  admirable  subject  for  a  statue  in  this  sturdy  son  of  Michigan. 
The  rugged  lines  of  his  face,  which  reveal  his  strength  of  character  and  Spar- 
tan raising,  lend  themselves  to  the  chisel's  nicest  art.  In  looking  at  the 
statue,  one  feels  the  force  and  reality  of  the  man  who,  when  Hull  ignomini- 
ously  surrendered  at  Detroit,  then  a  young  colonel,  broke  his  sword  across 
his  knee,  exclaiming  :  "  The  British  never  shall  have  it !  " 

From  the  State  of  Ohio  comes  James  Abram  (iarfield  and  Governor 
William  Allen,  both  by  Niehaus.  Jacob  Collamer,  Senator  from  Vermont, 
is  the  work  of  Preston  Powers.  Robert  Fulton,  by  Howard  Roberts,  is  the 
gift  of  Pennsylvania.  JTis  Clermont,  the  first  successful  steamboat,  left 
New  York  for  Albany  August  7,  1807.  This  picturesque  statue  attracts  uni- 
versal attention,  but  deserves  little  recognition  from  critics,  otherwise  than 
for  its  graceful  and  idea-possessing  pose.  The  face  is  characterless.  The 
statues  which  follow,  of  General  Nathaniel  <;r«M'iu«  of  Revolutionary  fame, 
the  corner-stone  of  whose  monument  in  Savannah,  Georgia,  \\as  laid  by  Lafay- 


230 


® 


The  National  Capitol 

ette  in  1825,  and  of  Roger  Williams,  the  founder 
of  the  Colony,  are  from  Rhode  Island.  They  were 
sculptured  respectively  by  H.  K.  Brown  and  Frank- 
lin Simmons.  A  bust  of  Abraham  Lincoln  by 
Sarah  Fisher  Ames,  which  was  purchased  by  the 
government  for  $2,000,  occupies  the  next  pedestal. 
Then  comes  a  bust  of  Thomas  Crawford,  the 
sculptor,  by  T.  Gagliardi.  The  Empire  State  is 
represented  by  the  following  figure  in  bronze,  of 
George  Clinton,  her  first  Governor,  also  by  H. 
K.  Brown.  The  same  artist  appears  again  as  the 
sculptor  of  the  statue  of  Richard  Stockton,  one 
of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
the  gift  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey.  Illinois 
contributes  a  bronze  statue  of  General  James 
Shields,  her  Senator  and  warrior,  by  Leonard  W. 
Volk ;  and  the  second  statue  from  New  Jersey,  of 
Philip  Kearney,  a  Major-General  in  the  Civil 
war  who  was  killed  at  Chantilly,  is  still  another 
work  of  H.  K.  Brown. 

Next  in  the  circle  is  an  exquisite  statue  of 
Father  James  Marquette,  by  the  Italian  sculp- 
tor, G.  Trentenove,  the  first  contribution  to  the 
Hall  of  Statuary  from  the  State  of  Wisconsin. 
This  is  the  statue  which  has  awakened  such  antag- 
onism, because  the  sculptor  represented  the  pioneer 
of  Wisconsin  in  his  habitual  robes  of  a  Jesuit  priest. 

The  opposition,  instigated  by  members  of  the  organization  known  as  the 
"A.  P.  A., ".has  fortunately  died  out,  however,  after  elaborate  discussion  in 
the  press  and  on  the  floor  of  Congress  ;  and  the  statue,  having  been  duly  ac- 
cepted by  the  Senate,  remains  as  one  of  the  choicest  art- treasures  within  the 
walls  of  the  Capitol.  A  statue  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  by  Vinnie  Ream, 
stands  next  in  line.  It  was  bought  by  the  government  to  commemorate  him 
whose  "  loving  life,  like  a  bow  of  peace,  spans  and  arches  all  the  clouds  of 
war."  Then  follows  Alexander  Hamilton  by  Horatio  Stone,  bought  by 
the  government  for  $10,000.  John  Wiiithrop,  by  Richard  S.  Greenough, 
represents  the  Old  Commonwealth.  He  was  the  first  Governor  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Bay  Colony. 

By  the  door  leading  to  the  rotunda  stand  marbles  of  John  Stark  and 
Daniel  Webster  as  mute  exponents  of  the  saying  that  New  Hampshire  is 
good  only  "  to  build  school-houses  and  raise  men."  Stark  was  the  hero  of 
Bennington ;'  as  he  came  in  view  of  the  British,  he  said  to  his  New  Hamp- 


The  National  Capitol 


231 


shire  militia:  "  See,  men:  there  are  the  red-coats;  we  must  beat  to-day,  or 
Molly  Stark' s  a  widow." 

These  statues  were  modeled  by  Carl  Conrads  after  statues  in  bronze  now 
in  the  State  House  park  at  Concord,  New  Hampshire.  The  original  also  of 
Stark  is  by  Conrads,  and  was  erected  by  the  State.  The  original  of  the  Web- 
ster statue  is  by  Ball,  and  was  presented  to  New  Hampshire  by  Benjamin 
Pierce  Cheney. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  acceptance  of  these  statues  by  Congress,  Mr.  Gal- 
linger  exclaimed  of  General  Stark:  "Amid  the  gloom  and  despondency  of 
the  darkest  days  of  that  heroic  struggle  his  vision  discerned  a  victorious 
ending.  Eighty-four  years  of  age  when  the  second  war  with  Great  Britain 
commenced,  he  longed  for  the  energy  of  youth  that  he  might  engage  in  the 
strife,  and  chafed  under  the  burdens  that  kept  him  from  again  serving  his 
country." 

Mr.  Chandler,  representing  the  State  of  Webster's  birth,  proudly  said : 
"  In  centuries  to  come,  if  the  statues  in  the  gallery  escape  the  levelling  hand 
of  time,  and  future  generations  look  upon  the  likeness  of  Webster  and  ask 


232  The  National  Capitol 

who  he  was  and  what  he  did,  there  shall  come  the  undying  eulogium  :  He  was 
th'e  great  expounder  and  defender  of  the  American  Constitution." 

Mr.  Hoar  of  Massachusetts  honored  his  State's  adopted  son  and  Senator, 
whose  greatest  life-work  had  been  performed  in  the  Capitol,  in  words  of 
eloquence  and  kindly  judgment :  "It  would  have  been  fortunate,"  he  said, 
"  for  Mr.  Webster's  happiness  and  for  his  fame  if  he  had  died  before  1850. 
But  what  would  have  been  his  fame  and  what  would  have  been  his  happiness 
if  his  life  could  have  been  spared  till  1865  !  He  would  have  seen  his  great 
arguments  in  the  reply  to  Haine,  in  the  debates  with  Calhoun,  inspiring, 
guiding,  commanding,  strengthening.  The  judge  in  the  court  is  citing  them. 
The  orator  in  the  Senate  is  repeating  them.  The  soldier  by  the  camp  fire  is 
meditating  them.  The  Union  cannon  is  shotted  with  them.  They  are  flashing 
from  the  muzzle  of  the  rifle.  They  are  gleaming  in  the  stroke  of  the  saber. 
They  are  heard  in  the  roar  of  the  artillery.  They  shine  on  the  advancing 
'banner.  They  mingle  with  the  shout  of  victory.  They  conquer  in  the  sur 
render  of  Appomattox.  They  abide  forever  and  forever  in  the  returning  reasoi 
of  an  estranged  section  and  the  returning  loyalty  of  a  united  people  !  Oh, 
if  he  could  but  have  lived  !  If  he  could  but  have  lived,  how  the  hearts  o: 
his  countrymen  would  have  come  back  to  him  !  In  all  the  attributes  of  a 
mighty  and  splendid  manhood  he  never  had  a  superior  on  earth.  Master  of 
English  speech,  master  of  the  loftiest  emotions  that  stirred  the  hearts  of  his 
countrymen,  comprehending  better  than  any  other  man  save  Marshall  the 
principles  of  her  Constitution,  he  is  the  one  foremost  figure  in  our  history 
between  the  day  when  Washington  died  and  the  day  when  Lincoln  took  the 
oath  of  office." 

The  statue  of  Samuel  Adams,  by  Anne  Whitney,  next  in  line,  is  the  gift 
of  Massachusetts.  On  its  base  are  words  addressed  by  him,  as  the  spokesman 
of  the  committee,  to  Governor  Hutchinson  on  March  6,  1770,  the  day  after  the 
Boston  Massacre,  in  demanding  the  withdrawal  of  the  British  troops  :  "  Night 
is  approaching.  An  immediate  answer  is  expected.  Both  regiments  or 
none."  William  King,  by  Franklin  Simmons,  comes  as  the  first  Governor 
jof  the  State  of  Maine.  The  statue  is  interesting  for  the  debate  provoked  ii 
the  Senate,  January  22,  1878,  when  Mr.  Hannibal  Hamlin  introduced  the  reso 
lution  for  its  acceptance  by  the  government.  Mr.  Blaine  practically  im- 
puted to  the  Massachusetts  Senators,  Hoar  and  Dawes,  an  ignorance  of  the 
history  of  their  own  State.  A  skirmish  naturally  ensued,  which  opened  old 
wounds  relative  to  the  war  of  1812,  the  creation  of  the  State  of  Maine  out  of 
Massachusetts  territory,  and  the  sacrifices  forced  upon  the  northern  State 
under  the  Ashburton  Treaty,  negotiated  by  a  former  Massachusetts  Senator 
when  Secretary  of  State,  Daniel  Webster. 

The  plaster  statue  of  George  Washington,   which  occupies  the  next 
place  in  the  circle  and  which,  perhaps,  found  its  way  into  the  possession  of 


The  National  Capitol  233 

the  government  through  Thomas  Jefferson,  is  probably  one  of  the  models 
which  the  sculptor,  Jean  Antoine  Houdon,  made  for  the  marble  statue  now 
in  the  rotunda  of  the  State  House  at  Richmond,  Virginia.  This  theory  of 
its  origin  is  suggested  by  the  following  letter  from  Jefferson  to  Mr.  Parker, 
written  in  the  Senate  Chamber  January  13,  1800  :  "  I  have  the  honor  to  inform 
you  that  the  marble  statue  of  General  Washington  in  the  Capitol  at  Richmond, 
with  its  pedestal,  cost  in  Paris  24,000  livres  or  1,000  Louis  d'ors.  Besides 
this  we  paid  Houdon's  coming  to  and  returning  from  Virginia  to  take  the 
General's  likeness,  which  as  well  as  I  recollect  were  about  500  guineas,  and 
the  transportation  of  the  statue  to  Virginia  with,  a  workman  to  put  it  up, 
the  amount  of  which  I  never  heard.  I  believe  that  in  Rome  or  Florence, 
the  same  thing  may  be  had  from  the  best  artists  for  about  two  thirds  of  the 
above  prices,  executed  in  the  marble  of  Carrara,  the  best  now  known.  But 
unless  Ciracchi's  busts  of  General  Washington  are,  any  of  them,  there,  it 
would  be  necessary  to  send  there  one  of  Houdon's  figures  in  plaster,  which, 
packed  for  safe  transportation,  would  cost  20  or  30  guineas." 

The  Richmond  statue  was  sculptured  in  pursuance  of  a  resolution  of  the 
Legislature  of  Virginia,  of  January  22,  1784,  which  authorized  the  Executive 
"  to  take  measures  for  procuring  a  statue  of  General  Washington,  to  be  of  the 
finest  marble  and  the  best  workmanship,  with  the  following  inscription*  on 
its  pedestal : 

The  General  Assembly  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia 

have  caused  this  Statue  to  be  erected 

as  a  Monument  of  Affection  and  Gratitude  to 

GEORGE   WASHINGTON  ; 

Who, 

uniting  to  the  Endowments  of  the  Hero  the  Virtues  of  the  Patriot, 

and  exerting  both  in  establishing  the  Liberties  of  his  Country, 

has  rendered  his  Name  dear  to  his  Fellow  Citizens, 

and  given  the  World  an  Immortal  Example 

of  true  Glory." 

Governor  Harrison  accordingly  wrote  to  Jefferson  and  Franklin,  then  in 
Paris;  and  they  selected  Houdon  as  "the  first  statuary  in  Europe."  The 
artist  seems  to  have  considered  the  work  "  as  promising  the  brightest  chapter 
of  his  history."  His  e.agerness  to  undertake  the  task  was,  no  doubt,  prompted 
partly  by  the  hope  of  being  employed  to  design  also  the  equestrian  statue, 
authorized  by  Congress  on  August  7,  1783,  for  which  he  made  a  model,  exhib- 
ited in  the  Salon  of  1793.  He  reached  Washington's  home  upon  the  Potomac 
late  on  Sunday  night,  October  2,  1785,  where  he  remained  a  fortnight  enjoy- 

*  This  tribute  is  said  to  have  been  penned  at  the  time  by  James  Madison,  upon  his 
knee. 


234 


The  National  Capitol 


ing  the  intimacy  of  the  family.  Every  opportunity  was  afforded  him  by  close 
companionship  for  the  study  of  his  subject's  physiognomy  and  temperament, 
and  he  was  permitted  not  only  to  take  accurate  measurements  of  Washington's 
frame,  but  to  make  a  mold  of  the  face,  head  and  chest.  "  George  Washing- 
ton, in  the  prime  of  life,"  writes  George  W.  P.  Custis,  "stood  six  feet  two 
inches,  and  measured  precisely  six  feet  when  attired  for  the  grave."  This 
statue  is  taller. 

Washington  himself  suggested  the  costume.  It  is  the  Continental  uniform 
which  he  was  accustomed  to  wear  as  Commander-in-chief,  and  in  which  he 
resigned  his  commission  at  Annapolis.  Many  think  the  statue  overcrowded 
with  symbolism,  and  that  the  sword,  cane,  ploughshare  and  fasces  detract 
from  its  dignity.  This  would  undoubtedly  be  true,  if  it  were  not  for  the 
easy  and  natural  pose  which  the  artist  has  given  to  the  figure.  Washington  was 
fifty-four  years  of  age  when  Houdon  visited  Mount  Vernon  ;  and  the  fact  that 

no  other  statue  was  ever  made  from 
his  person  renders  this  work  particu- 
larly interesting  and  valuable.  How 
well  it  satisfied  his  contemporaries, 
may  be  gathered  from  an  expression 
of  Marshall  to  Jared  Sparks,  that, 
"  to  a  person  standing  on  the  right 
hand  of  the  statue,  and  taking  a  half 
front  view,  '  it  represented  the  origi- 
nal as  perfectly  as  a  living  man  could 
be  represented  in  marble.'  ' 

The  bronze  statue  of  Thomas 
Jefferson,  by  P.  T.  David  d' Angers, 
which  is  the  next  in  line,  was  pre- 
sented by  Lieutenant  Uriah  P.  Levy 
of  the  navy,  in  1834,  and  is  rightfully 
considered  one  of  the  most  artistic 
statues  in  the  hall.  Beside  it  stands 
a  colorless  representation  in  marble 
of  Edward  Dickinson  Baker,  the 
Senator-soldier  from  Oregon,  another 
example  of  theart'of  Horatio  Stone. 
The  bronze  statue  of  Robert  R. 
Livingston,  who,  as  first  chancellor 
of  his  State,  administered  the  oath 
of  office  to  the  first  President  of  the 
United  States,  is  the  gift  of  New 
York.  Its  sculptor,  E.  D.  Palmer, 


The  National  Capitol  235 

deserves  credit  for  an  exquisite  piece  of  work — one  of  the  best  in  the 
Capitol. 

This  circular  assemblage  of  statues,  at  present,  is  completed  by  busts  of 
Polish  heroes  of  the  Revolution.  The  first  is  by  H.  D.  Saunders  (1857,  $500) 
of  Tadeusz  Kosciuszko,  who  inspired  in  Campbell  the  words  : 

"  Hope,  for  a  season,  bade  the  world  farewell, 
And  Freedom  shriek'd — as  Kosciuszko  fell." 

The  other  is  of  Kazimierz  Pulawski,  who  was  killed  at  the  siege  of  Savan- 
nah, and  is  by  H.  Dmochowski  (1857  Phi.).  Statues  of  Blair  and  Benton,  to 
be  presented  by  Missouri,  and  of  Kenna,  by  West  Virginia,  are  now  being 
sculptured. 

On  the  east  wall,  within  the  columns,  overlooking  the  small  lobby  now 
reserved  for  ladies,  is  a  portrait  of  Joshua  R.  Giddiiigs  (1865),  for  which 
the  government  paid  the  artist,  Miss  C.  L.  Ranson,  $1,000. 

Columns. — The  Corinthian  columns  which  surround  the  chamber  are  of 
breccia  or  Potomac  marbie  from  quarries  in  Loudon  County,  Virginia,  and 
Montgomery  County,  Maryland.  The  polishing  of  their  surfaces  has  produced 
designs  and  pictures  almost  as  weird  and  curious  as  the  echoes.  Some  of  the 
outlines  formed  by  cutting  the  imbedded  pebbles  are  such  perfect  caricatures 
that  the  imagination  is  not  required  to  distinguish  them.  On  the  column  to 
the  right  of  the  door  which  leads  to  the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  House,  about 
seven  feet  from  the  ground,  is  found  a  perfect  head  of  a  deer;  and  on  the 
column  behind  the  statue  of  Ethan  Allen,  about  four  feet  from  the  ground,  an 
almost  perfect  head  of  a  Turk.  An  Episcopal  clergyman  in  his  clerical  robes 
is  easily  distinguishable  on  the  column  behind  the  statue  of  Garfield.  Behind 
Collamer  is  a  form  suggestive  of  ex-Senator  Edmunds ;  and  behind  the  statue 
of  William  Allen,  about  four  feet  high,  the  characteristic  face  of  Benjamin 
F.  Butler  of  Massachusetts  appears.  Upon  the  column  to  the  left  of  the 
entrance  to  the  document  rooms  is  a  face  which  strikingly  resembles  Joseph 
Pulitzer,  the  great  journalist. 

Old  House  Post-Office. — In  a  corner  of  the  business-like  document 
rooms,  opening  off,  where  are  now  kept  bills,  resolutions,  reports  and  other 
printed  documents  for  the  use  of  Members,  was  located  in  the  old  days  the 
post-office  of  the  House.  Here,  writes  Ben:  Perley  Poore,  "during  the 
Christmas  holidays,  Mr.  Lincoln  found  his  way  .  .  .  where  a  few  jovial 
raconteurs  used  to  meet  almost  every  morning,  after  the  mail  had  been  dis- 
tributed into  the  Members'  boxes,  to  exchange  such  new  stories  as  any  of  them 
might  have  acquired  since  they  had  last  met.  After  modestly  standing  at  the 
door  for  several  days,  Mr.  Lincoln  was  reminded  of  a  story,  and  by  New 
Year's,  he  was  recognized  as  the  champion  story-teller  of  the  Capitol.  His 


236  The  National  Capitol 

favorite  seat  was  at  the  left  of  the  open  fire-place,  tilted  back  in  his  chair, 
with  his  long  legs  reaching  over  to  the  chimney  jamb.  He  never  told  a  story 
twice,  but  appeared  to  have  an  endless  repertoire  of  them  always  ready,  like 
the  successive  charges  in  a  magazine  gun,  and  always  pertinently  adapted  to 
some  passing  event.  It  was  refreshing  to  us  correspondents,  compelled  as  we 
were  to  listen  to  so  much  that  was  prosy  and  tedious,  to  hear  this  bright  speci- 
men of  Western  genius  tell  his  inimitable  stories,  especially  his  reminis- 
cences of  the  Black  Hawk  War." 

This  extract,  culled  from  the  Reminiscences  of  the  veteran-correspondent, 
throws  a  halo  and  aroma  about  the  room,  and  gives  to  what  remains  of  its  fire- 
place, now  hidden  by  prosaic  desk  and  documents,  almost  as  much  interest  as 
clings  to  the  one  in  the  Red  Horse  Inn  at  Stratford-on-Avon,  made  historic 
on  the  night  when  Washington  Irving  sat  there  alone  poking  the  fire  and 
dreaming  his  magic  dream.  The  old  chair  in  which  he  sat  is  looked  upon 
with  as  much  reverence  as  a  royal  throne,  and  his  poker  has  come  to  be  the 
famous  scepter  of  Geoffrey  Crayon.  These  are  almost  religiously  preserved  in 
Shakespere's  hamlet  on  the  banks  of  the  Avon ;  and  to  the  eyes  of  Ameri- 
cans, who  go  thousands  of  miles  to  see  them,  they  are  sacred.  But  where, 
alas,  is  the  chair  Lincoln  tipped  against  the  wall  of  this  old  post-office,  while 
the  room  resounded  to  the  applause  evoked  by  that  genius  of  story-telling  ? 
And  where  is  the  poker  with  which  "  Old  Abe  "  tickled  the  laughing  embers 
until  they  cracked  their  sides  with  merriment  ?  The  echoes  of  his  voice  have 
joined  the  mysterious  voices  in  Statuary  Hall,  but  where  are  his  democratic 
throne  and  scepter  once  in  the  old  House  post-office  ? 

Clerk's  Room. — The  narrow  hallway  to  the  northeast  of  Statuary  Hall, 
which  is  still  of  the  level  of  the  old  Hall  of  Representatives,  leads  directly 
to  the  private  room  of  the  Clerk  of  the  House.  On  its  west  wall  is  a  bracket 
holding  a  bust  of  John  Quincy  Adams,  commemorative  of  his  death  in 
this  former  Speaker's  room.  The  plain  inscription  is  said  to  have  been  writ- 
ten by  Mr.  Sumner :  "John  Quincy  Adams,  who,  after  fifty  years  of  public 
service,  the  last  sixteen  in  yonder  Hall,  was  summoned  thence  to  die  in  this 
room,  23  February,  1848." 

This  marble  bust  was  secured  by  voluntary  subscriptions  of  $600,  made  in 
the  House  by  gentlemen  of  all  parties.  On  March  3,  1849,  about  a  year  after 
the  tragic  death-stroke,  Mr.  Ashmun  arose  in  the  chamber  and  notified  the 
House  of  the  arrival  of  the  bust  and  that  it  was  then  on  exhibition  in  the  Con- 
gressional Library,  awaiting  authority  for  its  removal  to  the  proposed  resting 
place  in  the  Speaker's  room.  The  resolution  which  he  proposed  granted  this 
permission  and  also  authorized  the  Clerk  to  pay  to  the  sculptor,  John  C.  King 
of  Boston,  such  sum,  not  exceeding  $400,  as  in  his  judgment  seemed  proper. 
This  was  to  meet  a  deficiency  in  the  collection  of  the  subscriptions,  not  unusual 
in  such .  matters,  and  to  reimburse  the  artist  for  his  labor  and  expense  in 


The  National  Capitol  237 

bringing  the  marble  to  Washington  himself,  which  was  outside  the  terms  of 
his  contract.  The  resolution  brought  an  immediate  objection  from  Mr.  Jones 
of  Tennessee;  and  the  ensuing  skirmish  on  points  of  order  brought  Mr.  Grin- 
nell  to  his  feet,  who  besought  his  colleague,  Mr.  Ashmun,  to  modify  it  so  as  to 
strike  out  all  that  part  which  proposed  an  appropriation.  He  said  feelingly 
that  he  never  wanted  to  hear  the  name  of  Mr.  Adams  connected  with  money 
in  that  hall,  and  added  that  he  would  pay  the  expenses  from  his  own  pocket. 
Mr.  Ashmun  complied,  though  he  thought  it  not  "  an  honor  to  the  House  that 
the  gentleman  should  be  placed  in  such  circumstances."  Mr.  Jones  was 
pettily  triumphant,  though  the  resolution,  minus  its  clause  appropriating 
$400,  was  passed  by  a  vote  of  125  to  19. 

Latrobe  Capitals. — The  columns  at  the  head  of  the  stairway  which  was 
the  main  entrance  to  the  old  south  wing  are  crowned  with  capitals  of  a  unique 
character.  These  were  designed  by  Latrobe  supposedly  from  the  leaves  and 
flowers  of  the  cotton  plant,  but  are  not  so  natural  or  happy  in  effect  as  his  now 
historic  designs  from  the  maize. 

Statues. — 'Tine  bareness  of  the  rotunda  was  relieved  in  1901  by  the  transfer 
from  Statuary  Hall  of  the  statues  of  Baker,  Jefferson,  Lincoln  and  Hamilton  and 
by  the  addition  of  one  of  General  Grant.  The  last  named  is  the  work  of  Franklin 
Simmons  {Fecit  1899)  and  was  presented  by  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 
To  the  collection  in  Statuary  Hall  were  added  about  the  same  time  Thomas  Benton 
and  F.  P.  Blair  of  Missouri  and  John  McKenna  of  West  Virginia,  all  by  Doyle ; 
and  O.  P.  Morton  of  Indiana,  by  Niehaus.  Maryland  has  ordered  statues  of 
Hanson  and  of  Calvert ;  and  Illinois  is  unique,  in  that  one  of  her  contributions 
to  the  colbction  will  be  Mrs.  F.  P.  Willard. 


LATTER-DAY  HAPPENINGS 

Garland's  Death. — Few  men  have  had  the  good  fortune — if  death  can  be 
called  a  good  fortune  at  any  time — to  die  in  the  Capitol.  Ex-Attorney  General 
Augustus  H.  Garland  died  in  the  presence,  practically,  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  United  States,  while  arguing  a  case  before  the  Chief  Justice  and  Associate 
Justices  Harlan,  Gray,  Brown,  Shiras,  Peckham  and  McKenna,  on  January  26, 1899. 
The  records  of  the  Court  give  the  case  as  "  No.  198.  Blanche  K.  Townson 
et  aL,  appellants,  v.  Christiana  V.  Moore  et  al.  Argument  concluded  by  Mr.  A. 
H.  Garland  for  appellants."  In  a  pencil  note,  the  Clerk  has  added,  "  Mr.  Gar- 
land fell  while  making  this  argument,  and  died  in  the  clerk's  office."  Attorney 
General  Griggs  formally  notified  the  Court  of  the  almost  tragic  demise.  The 
Chief  Justice  responded  in  a  sympathetic  manner,  and,  as  a  mark  of  respect  to 
the  memory  of  this  distinguished  member  of  the  bar  and  eminent  public  servant, 
the  Court  adjourned  until  the  following  day. 

Dewey  at  the  Capitol. — Perhaps  no  ceremony  connected  with  the  history 
of  the  Capitol  has  been  more  splendid  than  that  in  honor  of  Admiral  George 
Dewey,  October  3,  1899,  when  Congress  honored  the  hero  of  -Manila  with  a 
sword,  presented  in  the  presence  of  official,  military  and  civic  Washington  by 
President  McKinley,  upon  a  platform  raised  for  the  occasion  on  the  east  front  of 
the  building.  It  was  a  glorious  day — all  blue  and  gold.  The  Admiral  had  just 
returned  to  his  native  land,  and  his  victories  were  deep  in  the  hearts  of  the 
people.  The  President  recognized  that  it  was  Dewey's  day,  and  conceded  the 
wild  enthusiasm  during  the  ride  to  the  Capitol  and  the  cheering  of  the  populace 
gathered  on  the  plaza  to  the  great  sea-captain.  Upon  their  arrival,  the  President 
proceeded  to  the  room  in  the  Senate  wing  set  apart  for  the  Executive.  The 
Admiral  was  received  in  the  Vice-President's  room.  Thence,  at  the  time 
appointed,  the  Commander-in-chief  and  the  Admiral  walked  arm-in-arm  to  the 
east  front,  where  their  presence  was  .greeted  by  a  sea  of  faces  and  a  deafening 
cheer  from  the  multitude.  The  Admiral  seemed  reassured  as  his  eye  caught  sight 
of  his  own  "  blue  jackets  " — "  the  men  behind  the  guns  " — for  whom  places  had 
been  set  apart  upon  the  steps  of  the  Senate  wing,  and  who  made  the  campus  ring 
with  their  cheers  as  their  Admiral  came  into  view.  Neither  the  President,  nor 
Sampson,  nor  Schley,  nor  Miles  that  day  could  take  the  lustre  from  the  hero  of 
Manila.  As  they  came  upon  the  stand,  the  President  gracefully  forced  Dewey 
to  the  front,  who  acknowledged  modestly  the  plaudits  of  his  admiring  country- 


The  National  Capitol 


239 


men.  The  President  and  the  Admiral  then  sat  side  by  side  in  the  face  of  the 
multitude  during  the  simple  but  impressive  ceremonies  which  followed. 

Some  of  the  spectators  say  that,  as  the  Admiral  took  his  seat,  his  curiosity 
was  so  great  that  he  eagerly  raised  the  lid  of  the  case  containing  the  sword 
to  admire  its  beauty ;  but  that  the  applause  of  those  about  him  led  him  to  drop 
the  cover  as  quickly,  with  the  look  upon  his  face  of  a  schoolboy  who  has  been 
caught  doing  the  forbidden.  • 

Secretary  John  D.  Long  delivered  the  address  of  presentation.     Then,  taking 


McKlNLEY  S    SECOND    INAUGURAL 


the  beautiful  jewelled  gift  from  its  rich  case,  he  handed  it  to  the  President,  in 
order  that  the  sword  might  pass  first  into  the  Admiral's  hand  from  the  hand  of 
his  Commander-in-chief.  The  President  said  to  Dewey :  "  There  was  no  flaw  in 
your  victory;  there  will  be  no  faltering  in  maintaining  it."  The  Admiral  ex- 
pressed his  gratitude  in  a  few  well-chosen  words.  He  was  deeply  affected  by  the 
scene.  Cardinal  Gibbons  pronounced  the  benediction,  after  which,  amid  the  wild 
cheering  of  the  spectators,  the  President  and  the  Admiral  reviewed  the  parade, 
led  by  General  Miles.  Carriages  then  took  them  back  to  the  White  House. 
Mc-Kiiilrv's  Second  Inaugural. — The  second  inaugural  of  President 


240  The  National  Capitol 

McKinley,  March  4,  1-901,  differed  little  from  the  first,  except  that  there  was 
no  packing  of  trunks  at  the  White  House  and  that,  in  the  carriage-seat  by  the 
President's  side,  usually  occupied  by  the  retiring  President,  sat  the  smiling  Senator 
Marcus  A.  Hanna,  with  whom  no  one  can  dispute  the  honor  of  being  the  Warwick 
of  America — the  American  King- Maker.  Much  picturesqueness  was  added  to  the 
ceremonies  of  the  day  by  the  personality  of  the  Vice-President,  since  President 
Roosevelt,  whose  career  as  cowboy,  hunter,  soldier  and  statesman  won  cheers  for 
him  from  the  lovers  of  the  strenuous  along  the  way. 

The  day  was  overhung  with  clouds,  and  during  the  inaugural  the  rain  began 
to  beat  down  in  torrents ;  but  even  this  did  not  prevent  thousands  from  listening 
to  the  voice  of  the  popular  President,  as  he  reviewed,  in  the  eloquent  address,  the 
needs  and  conditions  of  our  new  possessions  and  the  prosperity  of  our  land. 
Ovei;  the  heads  of  the  President  and  of  Chief  Justice  Fuller,  who  administered 
again  the  oath  of  office,  was  erected  a  small  but  substantial  canopy,  which  lent  a 
slightly  novel  appearance  to  the  scene.  Mrs.  McKinley  attended  the  ceremonies, 
leaning  on  the  arm  of  Adjutant-General  Corbin.  General  Miles  and  Admiral 
Dewey,  and  the  diplomatists,  headed  by  Lord  Paunceforte,  contributed  the  usual 
lustre  and  gold  lace  to  the  picture. 

McKinley  in  State. — The  remains  of  President  McKinley  were  brought 
to  Washington,  September  16,  1901,  from  Buffalo,  and  taken  directly  to  the 
White  House.  At  nine  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  i7th,  the  parade  formed 
and  escorted  the  body  to  the  rotunda  of  the  Capitol,  where  the  funeral  services 
were  to  be  held.  The  choir  of  the  Metropolitan  M.  E.  Church,  which  McKinley 
had  attended,  opened  the  services  by  singing  "  Lead,  Kindly  Light."  The 
Reverend  Henry  R.  Naylor  offered  the  invocation  and  Bishop  Andrews  delivered 
the  funeral  address.  The  choir  then  sang  "  Sometime  We'll  Understand."  The 
benediction,  which  was  spoken  by  Reverend  W.  H.  Chapman,  was  followed  ap- 
propriately by  the  hymn,  "Nearer  My  God  to  Thee."  The  rotunda  was  then 
cleared ;  and  there  the  body  lay  in  state  until  evening,  open  to  the  view  of  the 
"  plain  people,"  who  by  thousands  reverently  passed  .  the  casket.  President; 
Roosevelt  and  Ex-President  Cleveland  were  the  most  distinguished  of  the  auditors 
of  these  sad  rites  at  the  Capitol. 

Superintendent  of  the  Capitol, — Edward  Clarke,  the  veteran  Architect 
of  the  Capitol,  died  January  6,  1902. '  For  some  time  previous  to  his  death,  his 
health  had  been  so  impaired  that  the  burden  of  his  work  had  fallen  upon  his  chief 
clerk,  Elliott  Woods,  who  had  been  associated  with  Clarke,  except  for  a  short 
time,  since  1885,  when  Woods  came  to  Washington  from  Indiana.  The  law 
which  gave  the  chief  clerk  authority  thus  to  act  as  Architect  was  approved  July 
5,  1895,  and  was  passed  especially  to  provide  for  the  exigency  caused  by  the 
unfortunate  condition  of  the  Architect's  health.  This  law  provided  also  that,  in 
case  of  a  vacancy,  the  chief  clerk  should  perform  the  duties  of  Architect  until  the 
vacancy  had  %een  filled  according  to  law. 


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The  National  Capitol  *43 

At  the  time  of  the  Architect's  demise,  a  strenuous  effort  was  made  to  oust  the 
chief  clerk  from  the  authority  so  conferred  upon  him,  on  the  ground  principally 
that  he  was  not  an  architect  and  the  office  of  Architect  of  the  Capitol  was  a  tra- 
ditional one.  This  argument  was  somewhat  weakened,  however,  when  it  was 
remembered  that  the  great  central  idea  of  the  Capitol,  which  is  the  wonder  of 
the  world  to-day,  was  the  conception  of  Doctor  Thornton,  not  an  architect ;  and 
that  Doctor  Thornton's  masterpiece  had  succeeded  against  the  plans  of  archi- 
tects and  in  spite  of  architects — and  that  largely  through  the  good  sense  of  Wash- 
ington. Then,  too,  during  the  long  period  from  1828  to  1851,  when  the  marble 
wings  were  begun,  there  had  been  no  Architect  of  the  Capitol,  and  the  building 
had  been  successfully  managed  by  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings  and 
Grounds.  Even  the  great  original  work  of  Architects  Walter  and  Clarke  had 
been  largely  directed  to  extending  harmoniously  the  thought  of  Doctor  Thornton. 

In  the  end,  and  in  order,  no  doubt,  to  provide  for  the  popular  chief  clerk, 
Congress  passed  a  law,  approved  February  12,  1902,  which  provided  that  there- 
after the  office  of  Architect  of  the  Capitol  should  be  designated  as  Superintendent 
of  the  Capitol  Buildings  and  Grounds,  and  that  he  should .  be  appointed  by  the 
President.  This  appointment  is  unique  in  that  it  does  not  have  to  be  confirmed 
by  the  Senate.  In  accordance  with  this  law,  on  February  20,  1902,  President 
Roosevelt  appointed  Elliott  Woods  Superintendent. 

Under  his  direction,  but  mainly  preceding  Architect  Clarke's  death,  new  steel 
vxfa— facsimiles  of  the  old  ones — were  erected  over  Statuary  Hall  and  the 
Supreme  Court  Chamber,  and  the  floor,  galleries,  anterooms  and  ventilating 
plant  of  the  Chamber  of  the  House  of  Representatives  remodeled  and  new  ma- 
hogany desks  provided.  The  burden  of  the  work  incident  to  changing  the  old 
Library  rooms  on  the  western  front  to  committee  rooms,  in  the  summer  of  1900, 
also  fell  to  the  lot  of  Woods,  though  suggested  in  part  by  Architect  Clarke  before 
his  death.  These  rooms  command  a  fine  view  of  the  city  to  the  westward.  They 
are  commodious,  and  are  rendered  attractive  by  appropriate  mural  decorations,  in 
each  instance  illustrative  of  the  character  of  the  committee  which  makes  the  room 
its  home.  On  the  main  floor  are  the  House  committees  on  Naval  Affairs, 
Patents,  District  of  Columbia,  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds,  Arts  and  Exposi- 
tions and  Expenditures  in  the  Treasury  Department.  On  the  Senate  side  are  the 
Senate  committee  rooms  on  Enrolled  Bills,  Pacific  Islands  and  Porto  Rico,  For- 
eign Relations,  Pensions  and  Interoceanic  Canals.  On  the  gallery  floor,  on  the 
House  side,  are  the  rooms  set  apart  for  the  House  committees  on  Mileage,  Ex- 
penditures in  the  War  Department,  Pacific  Railroads,  Coinage,  Weights  and 
Measures  and  Expenditures  in  the  State  Department  and  the  Minority  room  for 
consultation.  On  the  Senate  side  of  the  gallery  are  located  the  Senate  committees 
on  Railroads,  Geological  Surveys,  Private  Land  Claims,  Improvements  in  the 
Mississippi  River,  Transcontinental  Route  to  Seaboard  and  Organization  of 
Executive  Departments. 


244 


The  National  Capitol 


Superintendent  Woods  is  an  ardent  advocate  of  the  extension  of  the  entire 
east  front  of  the  old  central  structure  in  accordance  with  what  is  known  as  the 
"  Walter  plan."  This  plan  was  not  made  pursuant  to  any  resolution  of  Congress, 
but  was  drawn  at  the  suggestion  of  President  Fillmore,  who  took  an  active  inter- 
est in  the  growth  of  the  building,  and  often  visited  the  Architect's  offices  to  dis- 
cuss with  Architect  Walter  the  designs  for  its  improvement.  It  is  thought  that 
this  extension  will  furnish  much  needed  space,  besides  bettering  the  proportions 
of  the  building,  and  more  especially  its  relations  to  the  dome.  Roscoe  Conkling 


PROPOSED   EXTENSION   OF   EAST   FRONT   KNOWN   AS    "WALTER   PLAN" 


was  heard  once  to  remark  that  the  present  structure  was  "  a   dome   with   a 
building  under  it,  instead  of  a  building  with  a  dome  upon  it." 

Princes  at  the  Capitol. — When  the  Prince  of  Wales,  since  King  Edward 
VII.,  visited  Washington  in  October,  1860,  he  made  a  tour  of  the  Capitol,  and, 
curiously  enough,  passed  over  ground  and  within  walls  which  the  English  had 
captured  when  they  burned  the  building  in  1814.  Kinahan  Cornwallis  gives  the 
following  account  of  the  few  minutes  spent  by  the  Prince  in  the  Capitol :  "  The 
Prince,  accompanied  by  Lord  Lyons,  Secretary  Floyd  and  others,  drove  up  to 
the  eastern  front  of  the  Capitol,  where  he  was  received  by  the  architect  and 
chief  engineer  of  the  works,  and  by  them  conducted  over  the  building.  First 
they  visited  the  library,  from  which  they  passed  by  a  private  staircase  to  the 
Senate  Chamber  and  the  committee  rooms,  and  thence  to  the  rotunda,  where 
the  beautiful  paintings  hung  round  its  magnificent  interior  attracted  their  espe- 
cial attention.  The  history  of  Pocahontas  was  inquired  into,  and  even  the 
'  Surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis '  became  a  theme  of  pleasant  conversation. 


The  National  Capitol  24; 

From  this  they  proceeded  through  the  old  hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives 
to  the  new  Hall  of  the  House,  where  the  sides  occupied  by  the  administration 
and  .opposition  members  were  pointed  out,  and  much  general  information  afforded 
in  answer  to  their  queries.  The  Speaker's  room  was  next  entered,  then  the  Agri- 
cultural and  other  rooms,  the  Naval  and  Military  Committee  apartments  and 
offices  of  the  Senate.  The  party  then  viewed  the  Capitol  grounds  from  the  por- 
tico of  the  east  front,  and,  descending  the  steps  after  half  an  hour's  stay,  drove 
back  to  the  White  House." 

Prince  Henry  of  Prussia  visited  the  Capitol  on  the  24th  of  February,  1902, 
under  the  eyes  of  the  applauding  populace,  who  filled  the  plaza  and  every  coign 
of  vantage  in  the  building.  The  Prince,  who  was  accompanied  by  the  German 
Ambassador,  his  suite  and  Rear  Admiral  Evans,  was  received  on  the  eastern  por- 
tico by  a  committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  During  a  moment's  delay  in 
the  rotunda,  incident  to  .the  arrival  of  General  Corbin  and  some  members  of 
"  His  Highness's  "  suite,  who  followed,  the  Prince's  eye  was  caught  by  the  paint- 
ings of  "  The  Discovery  of  the  Mississippi "  and  "  The  Baptism  of  Pocahontas." 
The  visitor  was  cheered  loudly  by  the  people  in  the  rotunda,  who  were  held  at 
bay  by  a  rope  stretched  across  the  great  circle.  The  party  then  proceeded 
through  Statuary  Hall  and  on  through  the  corridors  by  the  rooms  of  the  Military 
Affairs  and  Ways  and  Means  Committees  to  the  Speaker's  room,  where  the  Prince 
was  received  by  Speaker  Henderson,  with  a  truly  democratic  handshake  and  a 
short  address  of  welcome.  Some  say  the  Speaker  began  his  greeting  by  referring 
to  the  friendly  feelings  existing  between  the  Prince's  "  republic  "  and  ours — but, 
seeing  his  error,  quickly  and  diplomatically  changed  the  word  "  republic  "  to 
"  nation." 

The  Prince  was  next  escorted  into  the  gallery  of  the  House,  where  he  sat  an 
interested  spectator  for  some  minutes.  When  he  appeared  in  the  gallery  door, 
he  was  cheered  to  the  echo,  not  only  by  the  occupants  of  the  galleries,  but  by  the 
Representatives  of  the  forty-five  States.  It  was  hearty  if  not  dignified,  and  must 
have  impressed  "  His  Highness"  with  a  spirit  of  gratitude.  As  he  took  his 
departure,  he  was  accorded  a  second  rousing  cheer  from  all  in  the  chamber.  He 
turned  and  bowed  his  acknowledgments.  A  brief  reception  was  then  held  in  the 
Ways  and  Means  Committee  room,  where  the  Prince  graciously  accepted  the 
inevitable  and  shook  hands  American-fashion  with  one  and  all. 

Later,  on  the  arm  of  Senator  Cullom,  who  headed  a  committee  of  the  Senate, 
appointed  to  do  him  honor,  the  Prince  passed  through  the  building  to  the  north 
wing,  to  be  received  by  the  more  conservative  body  of  Congress.  The  Prince's 
suite  were  escorted  to  the  diplomatic  gallery*  by  General  Corbin,  but  the  Prince 
himself  and  the  German  Ambassador  were  taken  directly  into  the  Senate  Cham- 
ber. Here  Senator  Frye,  the  President  pro  tempore  of  the  body,  accorded  the 
royal  visitor  a  seat  of  honor  next  the  President's  chair.  As  the  Prince  entered 
the  Chamber,  an  exciting  debate  was  in  progress  as  to  whether  the  two  Senators 


248  The  National  Capitol 

from  South  Carolina,  who  were  in  contempt  of  the  Senate,  should  be  permitted 
to  vote  on  the  Philippine  bill.  The  Senators  arose  in  a  body,  however,  out  of 
respect  to  "  His  Highness,"  as  he  was  conducted  down  the  aisle  and  to  his  seat. 
The  Prince  became  so  interested  that  he  did  not  depart  until  a  word  from  the 
Ambassador,  sitting  at  the  Clerk's  desk  below,  indicated  that  it  was  opportune. 
The  Prince  thanked  Senator  Frye,  who  momentarily  stopped  the  debate  with  his 
gavel,  and  passed  out,  bowing  his  acknowledgments  to  the  Senators  right  and 
left,  who  again  respectfully  arose  in  their  seats.  The  continuance  of  the  debate 
prevented  a  reception  being  held  as  had  been  planned.  As  "  His  Highness  " 
passed  from  the  Chamber,  the  gallery  broke  into  applause. 

McKinley  Memorial. — On  the  afternoon  of  February  27,  1902,  Sec- 
retary John  Hay,  the  distinguished  diplomat  and  author,  before  a  brilliant 
assembly  in  the  Chamber  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  pronounced  a 
panegyric  in  honor  of  McKinley,  our  third  martyred  President.  By  a  strange  fate, 
just  twenty  years  before,  the  great  Ohioan,  as  chairman  of  the  committee  of 
arrangements,  had  escorted  President  Arthur  and  the  orator  of  the  day  to  their 
places  in  the  same  chamber,  when  it  had  fallen  to  the  lot  of  Ingersoll's  "  plumed 
knight,"  James  G.  Elaine,  to  voice  the  nation's  sorrow  before  a  similarly  distin- 
guished audience,  upon  the  life  and  character  of  Garfield,  our  second  martyred 
President. 

The  presence  of  Prince  Henry  of  Prussia,  the  brother  of  the  Emperor  of 
Germany,  at  such  a  gathering,  for  the  purpose  of  eulogizing  republican  principles 
as  represented  in  the  person  of  a  martyred  President  of  our  republic,  who,  if  any- 
thing, was  democratic  in  life  and  thought,  was  strange  and  unique.  The  Prince, 
who  appeared  in  the  simple  dark  blue  fatigue  uniform  of  a  German  Admiral, 
listened  respectfully  to  utterances  that  would  have  been  almost  treason  in  his  own 
land.  He  was  preceded  down  the  aisle  by  General  Miles  in  brilliant  regimentals. 
Some  embarrassment  was  caused  by  the  uncertainty  of  the  officials  as  to  what  to 
do  with  the  Prince  after  he  had  been  brought  into  the  chamber  formally  announced 
as  "  His  Royal  Highness,  Prince  Henry  of  Prussia,"  and  hailed  by  the  inspiring 
notes  of  "  My  Country,  'tis  of  Thee  !  "  No  one  seemed  to  know  what  chair  be- 
longed to  the  visiting  Prince,  and  he  was  accordingly  requested  to  move  several 
times,  which  he  did  most  graciously,  before  the  German  Ambassador  was  called 
into  consultation  and  the  matter  properly  arranged. 

When  President  Roosevelt  was  announced,  the  Marine  Band  played  "  Hail  to 
the  Chief."  He  passed  down  the  aisle  with  Secretary  Hay,  the  orator  of  the  day. 
The  President,  throughout  the  exercises,  sat  by  Prince  Henry  in  the  circle  before 
the  orator,  who  occupied  the  Clerk's  desk.  He  exchanged  a  word  of  greeting 
with  the  Prince  as  he  took  his  seat  beside  him. 


MISCELLANEOUS 


Congress. — Each  House  of  Congress 
makes  its  own  rules,  elects  its  officers  and 
is  the  judge  of  the  qualifications  and  elec- 
tions of  its  members.  Neither  body  can 
adjourn  for  more  than  three  days  without 
the  consent  of  the  other,  nor  to  any  other 
place  than  that  in  which  Congress  is  sit- 
ting. They  must  meet  at  least  once  each 
year,  and  on  the  first  Monday  in  Decem- 
ber; but  Congress  may  by  law  change  this 
date.  Each  Congress  dies  at  noon  on  the 
4th  of  March  of  the  odd  year.  The  Presi- 
dent may,  "  on  extraordinary  Occasions, 
convene  both  Houses,  or  either  of  them, 
and  in  Case  of  Disagreement  between 
them,  with  Respect  to  the  Time  of  Ad- 
journment, he  may  adjourn  them  to  such 
Time  as  he  shall  think  proper."  The 
Senate  is  always  an  organized  body,  and 
needs  but  to  be  called  to  order  by  the 
presiding  officer.  Its  officers  and  rules 
stand  until  changed,  but  the  officers  and 
rules  of  the  House  remain  only  for  one 
Congress.  , 

Communications  between  the 
House,  Senate  and  President. — At 
the  organization  of  the  two  Houses  of 

Congress,  a  question  arose  as  to  the  proper  method  by  which  bills  and  com- 
munications should  be  transmitted  from  one  to  the  other.  The  matter  was 
referred  to  a  committee;  and  it  was  agreed  that  in  the  interim  such  communi- 
cations should  be  conveyed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  and  Clerk  of  the 
House.  The  report  of  the  committee  was  not  adopted ;  and  the  practice, 
which  began  as  a  temporary  arrangement,  has  become  customary.  It  has 
been  disregarded  in  two  instances.  In  1813  the  Embargo  Act  was  sent  to 
the  Senate  by  two  of  the  Members  of  the  House,  with  a  request  that  the 


250  The  National  Capitol 

Senate  consider  it  confidentially;  and  the  bill  was  reported  by  the  Senate 
to  the  House  in  like  manner.  The  second  instance  was  in  1815. 

Communications  from  the  President  to  Congress  were  at  first  delivered  by 
Cabinet  officers,  but  the  President's  private  secretary  early  became  the  mes- 
senger; and  one  of  his  secretaries  still  continues  to  perform  this  important 
duty.  Communications  from  the  Senate  to  the  President  are  made  through  a 
committee  of  Senators  or  by  its  Secretary;  from  the  House  by  a  committee  of 
Members  or  by  its  Clerk. 

Use  of  Senate  and  House  Chambers. — On  a  few  occasions  in  its  his- 
tory, the  Senate  has  permitted  the  chamber  where  it  was  sitting  to  be  used  for 
purposes  of  a  religious  or  charitable  nature.  March  16,  1822,  the  Chaplains  of 
Congress  were  given  permission  to  occupy  the  Senate  Chamber  on  the  follow- 
ing day  "for  the  purpose  of  public  worship."  January  24,  1865,  Bishop 
Simpson  was  tendered  by  unanimous  consent  the  use  of  the  chamber  for  the 
purpose  of  delivering  a  lecture.  The  next  year,  a  resolution  was  offered  to 
permit  Mrs.  M.  C.  Walling  to  use  the  chamber  for  the  same  purpose,  the  floor 
to  be  reserved  for  members  of  the  Senate  and  House,  and  for  their  families. 
This  resolution  called  forth  much  contention  on  the  part  of  the  Senators,  but 
finally,  May  8th,  was  reconsidered  for  the  third  time  and  passed,  subject, 
however, -to  the  condition  that  "  hereafter  the  Senate  chamber  shall  not  be 
granted  for  any  other  purpose  than  for  the  use'  of  the  Senate."  During  the 
progress  of  the  discussion  over  the  Walling  resolution,  it  seems  the  Senate 
permitted  James  E.  Murdock,  the  distinguished  actor,  to  use  the  chamber  in 
giving  a  reading  for  the  benefit  of  a  fair  in  aid  of  the  National  Home  for 
Orphans  of  Soldiers  and  Sailors. 

The  House,  as  early  as  November  19,  1804,  resolved  that  in  future  no 
person,  other  than  the  Chaplain,  be  permitted  to  perform  Divine  service  in 
its  chamber  without  the  consent  of  the  Speaker.  The  first  public  use  of  the 
present  Hall  of  Representatives,  on  December  13,  1857,  was  for  Divine  ser- 
vice, the  Rev.  G.  D.  Cummins  officiating. 

Privilege  of  the  Floor. — The  privilege  of  the  floor  of  the  Senate  is  an 
honor,  of  late  years,  rarely  conferred  by  that  august  tribunal.  The  President 
of  the  United  States  seems  never  to  have  exercised  his  right  to  appear  upon 
the  floor  of  the  Senate  during  a  regular  session,  save  twice  before  the  govern- 
ment moved  to  Washington,  on  August  22d  and  24th,  1789,  and  on  the 
occasion  when  President  John  Adams  read  his  Message  in  1800.  On  De- 
cember 7,  1833,  a  resolution  was  adopted  formally  recognizing  the  existence 
of  the  privilege  in  the  Members  of  the  House  and  their  Clerk,  Heads  of  De- 
partments, several  officers  of  the  Treasury,  the  Postmaster-General,  the  Presi- 
dent's secretary,  federal  judges,  foreign  Ministers  and  their  secretaries,  persons 
who  had  received  the  thanks  of  Congress  by  name,  commissioners  of  the  Navy 
Board,  Governors  of  States  or  Territories,  persons  who  had  been  Heads  of 


The  National  Capitol  253 

Departments  or  members  of  either  branch  of  the  Legislature,  and,  at  the  dis- 
cretion of  the  President  of  the  Senate,  members  of  the  legislatures  of  foreign 
governments  in  amity  with  the  United  States.  The  rule  was  amended  from 
time  to  time  so  as  to  include  several  officials  of  the  army  and  navy,  together 
with  the  Clerk  and  reporter  of  the  Supreme  Court;  and  in  1838,  certain 
reporters  of  newspapers  were  given  the  privilege.  It  was  evidently  abused, 
however;  for  in  1853  the  rules  were  again  more  stringent,  requiring  each 
person,  except  in  a  few  cases,  to  register  his  name  before  going  upon  the 
floor.  When  the  Senate  was  about  to  move  into  its  new  chamber  in  1858,  the 
privilege  was  cut  down  to  officers  of  the  Senate  and  Members  of  the  House. 
It  was,  however,  soon  extended  so  as  to  embrace  various  federal  officials ;  and 
in  1872,  the  private  secretaries  of  the  Senators  also  were  admitted.  Contest- 
ants for  seats  have  uniformly  been  admitted  until  the  settlement  of  their  titles, 
but  no  other  persons  are  allowed  in  the  chamber  except  it  be  parties  in  con- 
tempt or  persons  appearing  as  counsel  in  cases  of  contempt  or  impeachment. 

Since  1803,  the  privilege  of  the  floor  has  been  repeatedly  sought  on  behalf 
of  the  ladies;  and  in  several  instances,  it  has  been  granted  for  one  day  only, 
notably  in  1850,  during  the  debate  on  the  Compromise  Measures,  and  again 
in  1858,  when  the  admission  of  Kansas  was  under  consideration. 

On  a  few  occasions,  the  Senate  has  honored  distinguished  visitors  and 
citizens  with  the  privilege  of  the  floor.  December  9,  1824,  at  one  o'clock, 
Lafayette,  in  accordance  with  a  prearranged  plan,  was  conducted  into  the 
chamber  by  a  committee  appointed  for  that  purpose,  and  introduced  by  Mr. 
Barbour,  its  chairman,  to  the  Senate.  The  Senators  arose  from  their  seats 
and  remained  standing  until  the  French  general  was  seated  in  a  chair  to  the 
right  of  the  Vice-President,  to  which  he  was  invited  by  that  presiding  officer. 
Then,  upon  the  motion  of  Mr.  Barbour,  the  Senate  adjourned  by  unanimous 
consent  that  the  Senators  individually  might  present  their  respects  to  their 
honored  visitor.  The  ex-President  of  the  Republic  of  Texas  was  admitted  to 
the  floor  of  the  Senate  by  unanimous  consent  February  17,  1842;  and  the 
Rev.  Theobald  Matthew  once  received  a  like  honor,  through  the  efforts  of  Mr. 
Clay,  who  argued  in  favor  of  the  resolution  in  opposition  to  Senators  Calhoun, 
Dawson  and  Foote. 

January  5,  1852,  at  one  o'clock,  Kossuth  was  conducted  into  the  chamber 
of  the  Senate  by  a  committee  appointed  for  that  purpose,  it  having  been 
reported  by  the  committee  and  agreed  to  by  the  Senate  that  the  same  ceremo- 
nies should  be  held  in  his  honor  as  had  been  held  in  honor  of  Lafayette. 
Mr.  Shields,  as  chairman  of  the  committee,  presented  the  visitor  to  the 
Senate.  The  Senators  having  arisen,  the  President  pro  tempore  addressed 
him  as  follows:  "  Ix>uis  Kossuth,  I  welcome  you  to  the  Senate  of  the  United 
States.  The  committee  will  conduct  you  to  the  seat  which  I  have  caused  to 
be  prepared  for  you."  The  Senators  then  resumed  their  seats,  after  which, 


254  The  National  Capitol 

upon  the  motion  of  Mr.  Magrum,  the  body  adjourned  to  speak  in  person  with 
the  distinguished  Hungarian. 

January  9,  1855,  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  war  of  1812,  then  holding 
a  convention  in  Washington,  received  the  unprecedented  honor  of  an  invita- 
tion to  occupy  seats  upon  the  floor  of  the  Senate  without  the  bar  during  the 
meeting  of  their  convention  in  the  city.  February  6,  1860,  the  ex-President 
of  the  Republic  of  Bolivia  was  admitted  to  the  floor  of  the  Senate.  January 
13,  1865,  upon  the  announcement  by  Mr.  Grimes  of  the  presence  in  the  Senate 
Chamber  of  Vice- Admiral  Farrag'iit,  the  first  officer  in  the  navy  upon 
whom  that  title  had  been  conferred,  the  Senate  by  unanimous  consent  took  a 
recess  of  ten  minutes  to  exchange  courtesies  with  their  visitor.  April  20, 
1870,  the  privilege  of  the  floor  for  that  day  only  was  extended  to  the  officers 
and  members  of  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  then  on  a  visit  to  the 
national  capital. 

As  a  mark  of  respect  and  honor,  on  January  8,  1879,  George  Bancroft 
was  tendered  the  privilege  of  the  floor,  which  he  continued  to  enjoy  during  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  Though  the  resolution,  reported  by  Mr.  Elaine,  spoke 
of  him  as  "  the  ex-Cabinet  Minister,  whose  appointment  was  earliest  in  the 
line  of  those  now  living,"  there  is  no  doubt  that  his  great  worth  as  an  historian 
was  as  instrumental  in  securing  this  honor  as  his  administration  of  the  port- 
folio of  the  Navy  and  his  diplomatic  service  abroad.  Winfleld  S.  Han- 
cock, by  a  resolution  unanimously  consented  to  March  5,  1881,  was  accorded 
by  the  Senate  the  privilege  of  the  floor  during  his  stay  in  Washington. 

The  House  has  never  been  so  strict  in  this  matter  as  the  Senate.  Even 
small  children  of  Members  have  been  often  accorded  the  privilege — not  by 
resolution  but  by  courtesy — the  difficulty  of  keeping  them  off  the  floor  having 
been  found  greater  than  the  annoyance  of  their  presence. 

Reporters. — In  1802,  it  was  decided  to  admit  reporters  within  the  area 
of  the  Senate  Chamber,  and  they  were  accordingly  assigned  a  place  by  the 
President  of  the  Senate.  Afterwards  they  were  removed  to  the  gallery,  but  in 
1835  were  again  given  the  privilege  of  the  floor.  Five  years  later  the  number 
of  reporters  was  limited  to  two  for  each  of  the  daily  papers  and  one  for  each 
tri-weekly  published  in  Washington.  In  1841,  all  reporters  were  again  as- 
signed seats  in  the  gallery.  Six  years  later,  the  official  reporters  were  re- 
assigned a  place  on  the  floor.  In  1859,  the  reporters  of  the  Globe  seem  to 
have  been  placed  again  in  the  gallery,  but  only  temporarily.  Their  successors, 
whose  deft  fingers  facilitate  the  preparation  of  the  Record,  remain  on  the  floor 
at  all  times,  excepting  during  executive  sessions.  Like  privileges  are  now 
accorded  to  official  reporters  in  the  House. 

Camp  Life  at  the  Capitol. — Among  the  first  to  respond  to  Lincoln's  call 
for  troops  after  the  firing  on  Sumter  were  several  companies  from  Pennsyl- 
vania, who  hastened  to  Washington.  The  Capitol  was  turned  into  temporary 
16 


The  National  Capitol  *55 

barracks  for  their  reception.  The  night  they  arrived,  fully  five  hundred  letters 
were  penned  in  the  building  by  the  soldier-boys  to  the  girls  they  had  left 
behind  them,  perhaps  forever,  on  the  hills  of  their  native  State. 

The  Star  of  April  19,  1861,  says  :  "  We  found  company  E  (of  this  city), 
National  Guard,  the  spirited  volunteer  company  recently  formed,  on  guard  at 
the  north  wing.  They  are  quartered  in  the  handsome  room  on  Revolutionary 
Claims.  Two  of  the  Pennsylvania  companies  we  found  quartered  in  the  lux- 
urious committee  rooms  of  the  north  wing.  The  newly  arrived  soldiers  had 
here  Brussels  carpets,  marble  washstands,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  but 
seemed  to  think  they  should  prefer  to  all  this  to  have  a  bite  of  something  to 
eat.  They  took  all  in  good  spirits  except  the  failure  in  the  commissariat 
department  at  their  quarters.  Some  bacon  sides  had  been  served  out  in  the 
basement  (Senate  kitchen  refectory),  where  a  fire  had  been  started,  and  some 
of  the  soldiers  were  struggling  with  a  dull  knife  to  chip  off  a  rasher,  but 
nothing  seemed  to  be  in  readiness  for  the  hungry  men.  The  three  Pennsyl- 
vania companies  stationed  in  the  south  wing  of  the  Capitol  were  faring 
better,  we  found,  as  some  of  the  Capitol  employees  had  been  laboring  to  get 
things  in  readiness.  In  the  House  refectories,  we  found  the  work  of  broiling 
and  frying  fresh  and  salt  meat  going  on  briskly,  while  numerous  hogsheads 
and  boxes  containing  other  edibles  were  being  depleted  of  their  contents. 
Ascending  to  the  Representatives'  Hall  we  found  nearly  every  seat  and  all  the 
sofas  of  that  big  room  occupied  with  the  soldiers.  In  the  centre  of  the  room 
the  Ringgold  Artillery  was  located,  and  the  wings  were  occupied  by  two 
other  Pennsylvania  companies.  The  lucky  occupants  of  the  sofas  were  taking 
a  comfortable  snooze,  and  those  in  the  chairs  were  almost  to  a  man  engaged 
in  writing." 

The  next  day  came  the  old  Massachusetts  Sixth,  which  had  bravely  run  the 
gauntlet  of  the  Baltimore  mob,  and  they  also  bivouacked  in  the  Capitol.  The 
Star  thus  describes  the  loyal  reception  of  that  regiment  by  the  people  :  "  The 
train  stopped  just  outside  of  the  depot,  and  the  troops  disembarking,  formed 
in  column  and  marched  through  to  New  Jersey  Avenue,  and  thence  to  the  capi- 
tol,  entering  the  rotunda  by  the  East  Portico.  They  were  followed  by  the 
crowd  which  were  now  swelled  to  several  thousands,  who  cheered  the  troops 
vociferously  as  they  passed  up  the  street.  They  were  dressed  in  full  winter 
uniform,  with  knapsack  strapped  to  their  back  over  their  gray  overcoats,  and 
presented  a  thoroughly  soldierly  appearance.  After  halting  for  a  while  in  the 
rotunda,  the  men  were  taken  to  their  quarters  in  the  new  Senate  chamber  and 
the  adjoining  rooms.  Orders  were  then  passed  among  the  line  to  stack  their 
arms  and  lay  aside  their  knapsacks,  but  no  man  was  allowed  to  lay  off  his 
overcoat,  or  in  any  way  embarrass  his  movements  in  case  of  an  alarm.  Hav- 
ing eaten  nothing  but  part  of  a  soldier's  ration  since  ten  o'clock  Thursday 
night,  the  troops  were  nearly  exhausted,  and  on  being  filed  into  the  galleries, 


256  The  National  Capitol 

immediately  sank  down  upon  the  cushioned  seats,  and  forgot  their  fatigue  and. 
hunger  in  refreshing  sleep." 

The  Seventh  Regiment  left  New  York  City  for  Washington  April  19, 1861, 
and  upon  arrival  reported  to  President  Lincoln.  The  regiment  then  marched 
to  the  Capitol,  where  it  was  housed  for  about  a  week,  marching,  by  company, 
to  Wi Hard's  HoteJ  for  rations.  Many  of  the  gallant  Seventh  recall  to  this 
day  the  hard  marble  floors  of  the  Capitol  on  which  they  spread  their 
blankets.  The  regiment  was  mustered  in  on  the  campus  by  General 
McDowell. 

Hospital. — During  the  early  part  of  the  war,  when  Congress  was  not  in 
session,  the  Capitol  was  a  hospital  for  soldiers.  The  committee  rooms  were 
appropriated  by  the  doctors  and  nurses,  and  each  legislative  chamber  was 
turned  into  a  general  ward  for  the  wounded,  the  cloak  rooms  and  lobbies  being 
reserved,  for  the  most  part,  for  the  officers.  At  this  time,  huge  bakeries  were 
built  in  the  cellarage  back  of  the  old  sodded  terrace  ;  and  each  morning  army 
wagons  might  have  been  seen  about  the  Capitol  loading  with  loaves  of  bread 
to  supply  the  forts,  hospitals  and  encampments  in  the  neighborhood.  On 
July  n,  1862,  an  appropriation  of  $8,000  was  made  to  remove  these  army 
bakeries  and  repair  the  damage  which  they  had  done. 

Prison. — The  Capitol  has  never  been  regularly  used  as  a  prison ;  but 
occasionally  men  have  been  imprisoned  in  one  of  the  basement  rooms  for 
contempt  in  refusing  to  answer  questions  put  to  them  by  committees  who 
were  making  investigations  in  accordance  with  some  act  of  Congress. 

Liquor  at  the  Capitol. — Liquor  has  been  sold  in  the  Capitol  from  the 
earliest  days.  It  was  sold  in  the  crypt  by  the  apple-women  soon  after  its 
erection ;  and  later,  the  old-fashioned  desks  used  in  the  committee  rooms 
became  private  sideboards  tempting  in  the  extreme.  Owing  to  the  abuse  of 
this  privilege,  however,  an  obscure  room  was  set  apart  northwest  of  the 
crypt,  which  received  the  now  oft-used  title  "a  hole  in  the  wall."  It  was 
easily  accessible  from  the  old  Supreme  Court  chamber,  just  across  the  cor- 
ridor, and  from  the  Senate  Chamber  above,  by  means  of  the  private  staircase, 
which  is  now  used  in  the  ascension  to  the  dome.  A  similar  room  in  the  old 
south  wing  is  remembered  to  have  been  set  aside  at  one  time  for  the  better 
accommodation  of  the  Representatives.  These  rooms  became  useless  when 
the  marble  extensions  were  erected  and  provision  was  made  for  the  present 
cafes.  Here  also,  by  joint  rule,  restrictions  were  at  one  time  placed  upon 
the  sale  of  liquors,  but  the  matter  was  easily  evaded  by  the  statesman's  pro- 
verbial "  cup  of  tea." 

One  of  the  liveliest  contests  upon  this  question,  affecting  the  rights  of 
man  in  the  Capitol,  occurred  on  April  n,  1866,  when  Mr.  McDougall  made  a 
speech  on  the  floor  of  the  Senate  which  is  worthy  of  perusal,  whether  one 
agrees  with  his  conclusions  or  not : 


The  National   Capitol  257 

"  Mr.  President,  it  was  once  said  that  there  are  as  many  minds  as  men,  and  there  is 
no  end  of  wrangling.  I  had  occasion  sorne  years  since  to  discourse  with  a  reverend  doctor 
of  divinity  from  the  State  which  has  the  honor  to  be  the  birthplace,  I  think,  of  the  present 
President  of  this  body.  While  I  was  discoursing  with  him,  a  lot  of  vile  rapscallions  invited 
me  to  join  them  at  the  bar.  I  declined,  out  of  respect  to  the  reverend  gentleman  in  whose 
presence  I  then  was.  As  soon  as  the  occasion  had  passed,  I  remarked  to  the  reverend 
doctor,  '  Do  not  understand  that  I  declined  to  go  and  join  those  young  men  at  the  bar 
because  I  have  any  objection  to  that  thing,  for  it  is  my  habit  to  drink  always  in  the  front 
and  not  behind  the  door.'  Me  looked  at  me  with  a  certain  degree  of  interrogation.  I 
then  asked  him,  '  Doctor,  what  was  the  first  miracle  worked  by  our  great  Master?'  He 
hesitated,  and  I  said  to  him,  '  Was  it  not  at  Cana  in  Galilee  where  he  converted  the  water 
into  wine  at  a  marriage  feast?'  lie  assented.  I  asked  him  then,  '.After  the  ark  had 
floated  on  the  tempestuous  seas  for  forty  clays  and  nights,  and  as  it  descended  upon  the  dry 
land,  what  was  the  first  thing  done  by  father  Noah?'  lie  did  not  know  that  exactly. 
•  \\Y11.'  said  I,  '  did  he  not  plant  a  vine  ? '  Yes,  he  remembered  it  then. 

"  I  asked  him,  '  Do  you  remember  any  great  poet  that  illustrated  the  higher  fields  of 
humanity  that  did  not  dignify  the  use  of  wine,  from  old  Homer  down  ?'  He  did  not.  I 
asked,  '  Do  you  know  any  great  philosopher  that  did  not  use  it  for  the  exaltation  of  his 
intelligence  ?  Do  you  think,  doctor,  that  a  man  who  lived  upon  pork  and  beef  and  corn 
bread  could  get  up  into  the  superior  regions — into  the  ethereal  ? '  No  he  must 

'  Take  nectar  on  high  Olympus 
And  mighty  mead  in  Valhalla.' 

I  said  to  him  again,  '  Doctor,  you  are  a  scholarly  man,  of  course — a  doctor  of  divinity — a 
graduate  of  Yale  ;  do  you  remember  Plato's  symposium  ? '  Yes,  he  remembered  that.  I 
referred  him  to  the  occasion  when  Agatho,  having  won  the  prize  of  Tragedy  at  the 
Olympic  Games  at  Corinth,  on  coming  back  to  Athens  was  feted  by  the  nobility  and  aris- 
tocracy of  that  city,  for  it  was  a  proud  triumph  to  Athens  to  win  the  prize  of  Tragedy. 
They  got  together,  at  the  house  of  Phredrus,  and  they  said,  '  Now,  we  have  been  every 
night  for  these  last  six  nights  drunk  ;  let  us  be  sober  to-night,  and  we  will  start  a  theme '; 
which  they  passed  around  the  table  as  the  sun  goes  round,  or  as  they  drank  their  wine,  or 
as  men  tell  a  story.  They  started  a  theme,  and  the  theme  was  love — not  love  in  the  vulgar 
sense,  but  in  its  high  sense— love  of  all  that  is  beautiful.  After  they  had  gone  through,  and 
after  Socrates  had  pronounced  his  judgment  on  the  true  and  beautiful,  in  came  Alcibiades 
with  a  drunken  body  of  Athenian  boys  with  garlands  around  their  heads  to  crown  Agatho 
and  crown  old  Socrates,  and  they  said  to  those  assembled,  '  This  will  not  do  ;  we  have  been 
drinking  and  you  have  not '  ;  and  after  Alcibiades  had  made  his  talk  in  pursuance  of  the 
argument  in  which  he  undertook  to  dignify  Socrates,  as  I  remember  it,  they  required  (after 
the  party  had  agreed  to  drink,  it  being  quite  late  in  the  evening,  and  they  had  finished  their 
business  in  the  way  of  discussion)  that  Socrates  should  drink  two  measures  for  every  other 
man's  one,  because  he  was  better  able  to  stand  it.  And  so  one  after  another  they  were  laid 
on  the  lounges  in  the  Athenian  style,  all  except  an  old  physician  named  Aristodemus,  and 
Plato  makes  him  the  hardest -headed  fellow  except  Socrates.  He  and  Socrates  stuck  at  it 
until  the  grey  of  the  morning,  and  then  Socrates  took  his  bath  and  went  down  to  the 
groves  and  talked  Academic  knowledge. 

11  After  citing  this  incident  I  said  to  this  divine,  '  Do  you  remember  that  Lord  Bacon 
said  that  a  man  should  get  drunk  at  least  once  a  month,  and  that  Montaigne,  the  French 
philosopher,  indorsed  the  proposition  ?  ' 

"  These  exaltants  that  bring  us  up  above  the  common  measure  of  the  brute,  wine  and 
oil,  elevate  us,  enable  us  to  seize  great  facts,  inspirations,  which,  once  possessed,  are  ours 


258  The  National  Capitol 

forever ;  and  those  who  never  go  beyond  the  mere  beastly  means  of  animal  support  never 
live  in  the  high  planes  of  life,  and  cannot  achieve  them.  I  believe  in  women,  wine, 
whiskey,  and  war.  Let  the  Senator  from  Massachusetts  [Mr.  Wilson],  if  he  chooses,  drink 
his  wine,  as  his  fathers  did  before  they  cut  down  all  the  apple  trees  in  Massachusetts. 
Because  apple  trees  raised  apples,  and  apples  made  cider,  and  cider  made  brandy,  they  cut 
them  down  all  through  New  England  ;  but  in  his  grandfather's  time  every  gentleman  of 
Massachusetts,  or  every  man  who  was  able  to  afford  it,  had  on  his  sideboard  a  bottle  of 
good  apple  brandy  and  he  offered  it  to  his  guests  the  moment  he  received  them.  Those 
were  the  good  old  times  when  gentlemen  were  abounding  in  the  land.  This  kind  of 
regulation  tends  to  degrade  humanity  and  to  degrade  the  dignity  of  the  Senate." 

Heating* — The  engines,  in  the  basement  of  the  Capitol,  bring  air  into 
the  building  through  tunnels  extending  from  two  granite  towers  situated  in 
the  park;  and  by  means  of  large  fans  it  is  then  driven  through  the  building, 
heated  in  winter  and  cooled  and  moistened  in  summer.  Fans  also  carry  off 
the  vitiated  air.  The  official  statements  show  that,  from  March  3,  1831,  to 
1875,  the  net  expenditures  for  heating  and  ventilating  the  Capitol  were  $298,- 
584.39;  and  that  between  March  3,  1855,  and  June  i,  1875,  the  heating  of 
the  Library  netted  $17,071.60. 

Lighting'. — The  chambers  of  the  Senate  and  House  are  lighted  almost 
exclusively  from  above,  through  double  glass  roofings  by  day  and  by  incan- 
descent lights  by  night,  which  burn  brightly  between  the  ceilings  and  produce 
soft  and  beautiful  effects  throughout  the  rooms.  Above  the  Senate  Chamber 
are  1,200  lamps  with  842  outlets  of  sixteen  candle  power  each,  making  a 
total  candle  power  of  19,200.  Above  the  House  Chamber  are  1,388  lamps 
with  1,192  outlets  of  sixteen  candle  power  each,  making  a  total  of  22,208 
candle  power.  The  net  expenditures  for  lighting  the  Capitol  from  March  3, 
1829,  to  March  3,  1875,  are  given  by  the  Treasury  Department  as  $1,335, 757. 70. 

Guarding  the  Capitol. — The  Capitol  and  grounds  are  under  the  au- 
thority of  a  Police  Board,  composed  of  the  Sergeant-at-Arms  of  the  Senate, 
the  Sergeant-at-Arms  of  the  House  and  the  Architect  of  the  Capitol.  This 
board  acts  through  a  Captain  of  Police,  customarily  assisted  by  three  lieu- 
tenants and  a  corps  of  privates,  who  are  directly  responsible  for  the  protec- 
tion and  peace  of  the  building.  The  supreme  authority  in  the  Senate  wing 
is  always  vested  in  the  Vice-President  of  the  United  States,  who  presides  over 
the  Senate  ;  the  Supreme  authority  in  the  House  wing,  in  the  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  ;  and  the  supreme  authority  in  the  old  building, 
in  the  Architect  of  the  Capitol. 

Social  Events. — On  three  occasions  the  National  Capitol  has  been 
devoted  to  social  events,  though  the  purpose  in  each  instance  was  to  raise 
money  for  charitable  or  other  meritorious  objects.  The  first  of  these  was  the 
Centennial  Tea  Celebration,  or  "  Centennial  Tea  Party"  as  it  was  more 
popularly  called,  held  on  the  evenings  of  the  i6th  and  i?th  of  December, 


The  National  Capitol  259 

1874.  Its  purpose,  like  many  similar  ones  held  throughout  the  country  about 
that  time,  was  to  awaken  interest  in  the  coming  Centennial  Exhibition  in 
Philadelphia  in  1876,  and  to  raise  funds  for  some  of  the  proposed  exhibits. 
The  rotunda  was  the  principal  scene  of  the  fete,  though  the  old  Hall  of  Rep- 
resentatives also  was  open  to  visitors,  where,  in  a  dim,  religious  light,  the 
Marine  Band  discoursed  its  sweetest  melodies.  This  old  hall  became  more 
ghostly  than  usual  under  the  spell  of  the  magician's  wand — directing  his  mar- 
velous musicians,  each  with  a  stand  and  score  lighted  by  a  single  flickering 
candle,  even  before  the  mute  assembly  of  statues  of  the  dead. 

The  rotunda  was  artistically  decorated  with  flags ;  and  the  thirteen  tables, 
representative  of  the  thirteen  original  States,  were  presided  over  by  nineteenth- 
century  dames,  glorying  in  eighteenth-century  flounces,  powdered  hair  and 
patches.  The  Maryland  table  was  conspicuous  for  Revolutionary  relics,  nota- 
bly the  gilt  candelabras,  loaned  by  a  niece  of  Mrs.  General  Hunter,  which 
had  been  in  the  family  over  one  hundred  years.  Among  other  objects  of 
interest  was  a  bell  whose  tongue  had  proclaimed  liberty  to  the  people  in 
1776.  Over  the  door  leading  from  the  rotunda  to  Statuary  Hall  was  a  minia- 
ture ship,  representing  the  Dartmouth,  commemorative  of  the  event  which 
had  given  the  gathering  its  name.  Two  boys,  dressed  in  Mohawk  costume, 
stood  ready  to  throw  the  proverbial  tea  into  Boston  harbor.  The  presence  of 
a  band  of  Navajo  Indians,  with  General  Ardy,  attracted  as  much  interest 
from  the  throng  as  they  themselves  took  in  the  "  Indian  boys  "  presiding  over 
the  destiny  of  the  taxed  cargo.  These  boys,  the  old  chiefs  promptly  pro- 
nounced good  Navajos. 

From  a  rostrum  which  had  been  prepared,  General  Hawley,  and  afterwards 
Secretary  Robeson,  addressed  the  throng.  Some  disappointment  was  felt 
by  the  curious  that  King  Kalakaua,  then  in  the  city,  sent  his  regrets.  His 
suite  were  present,  however,  occupying  places  upon  the  rostrum  during  the 
addresses,  where  they  attracted  their  share  of  attention.  The  affair  was  a 
brilliant  one,  and  much  credit  was  due  to  the  ladies  who  arranged  and  con- 
ducted it. 

TJie  Garficld  Tea  Party,  which  may  be  described  as  a  fashionable  fair, 
was  held  on  Saturday  evening,  May  6,  1882,  by  the  ladies  of  the  National 
Aid  Association  for  the  Garfield  Memorial  Hospital,  and  realized  to  its  worthy 
charity  several  thousand  dollars  from  the  $i  tickets  of  admission  and  the 
profits  on  sales.  The  rotunda  was  occupied  by  thirteen  booths,  divided  among 
the  various  States  and  bearing  their  coats-of-arms,  from  which  fancy  articles 
were  sold  by  fair  representatives  gaily  decked  as  maids  of  Gotham,  in  Puritan 
garb  as  Priscillas,  or  in  other  attractive  styles.  These  booths,  decorated  with 
flags  and  banners,  almost  hid  from  view  the  historical  pictures  about  the  hall. 
The  room  was  one  mass  of  palms,  which  added  greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the 
scene.  The  flower  booth  stood  in  the  center,  where  bouquets  from  the  White 


260  The  National  Capitol 

House  conservatory  were  sold  at  a  premium.  President  Artnur  and  many  in 
official  and  diplomatic  circles  are  recorded  by  the  press  as  having  attended. 
A  material  feature  of  the  fair  was  a  promenade  concert,  and  some  even  tripped 
the  light  fantastic  toe  within  the  old  Hall  of  Representatives  to  the  music  of 
the  Marine  Band,  playing  the  Devil's  dance-tunes  in  the  very  faces  of  the 
pious-looking  statues  of  Roger  Williams  and  John  Winthrop.  Frances  Hodg- 
son Burnett,  the  authoress,  attracted  much  mirthful  attention  while  assisting 
the  ladies  at  the  Tennessee  table,  that  being  the  State  in  which  she  first 
located  on  coming  to  America.  Little  Lord  Fauntleroy,  in  blue  velvet, 
tugged  at  his  mother's  apron  strings,  while  she  went  among  the  Senators  in 
the  role  of  peanut- vender.  Mrs.  Burnett  cleverly  sold  and  resold  the  same 
stock — one  peanut  and  two  shells,  upon  a  dainty  silver  tray,  to  one  statesman 
after  another  for  what,  considering  the  value  of  her  merchandise,  would  be 
regarded  as  somewhat  fabulous.  She  no  sooner  pocketed  the  money  of  one 
politician,  accompanied  with  his  graceful  refusal  of  the  goods,  than  she  was 
merrily  off  to  entice  another — all  for  the  sake  of  charity. 

The  rotunda  and  adjacent  rooms  were  granted  to  the  Garfield  Monument 
Committee,  Society  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  from  November  25th  to 
December  3d,  1882,  for  the  National  Art  and  Industrial  Exposition, 
the  object  being  to  raise  a  fund  to  aid  in  the  erection  of  a  statue  at  Washing- 
ton to  the  memory  of  the  late  President  Garfield.  At  two  o'clock,  President 
Arthur  appeared,  escorted  by  Mr.  John  W.  Thompson,  chairman  of  the  Board 
of  Directors.  Then  followed  from  the  Senate  wing,  where  they  had  assembled 
'with  the  Executive,  the  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  their  judicial  robes, 
the  diplomatic  corps  in  court  dress,  the  General  of  the  army  and  Admiral  of 
the  navy  with  their  staffs,  the  Garfield  Guard  of  Honor,  members  of  the  Society 
of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  and  a  number  of  the  members  of  Congress, 
including  Speaker  Keifer  and  Senators  Logan  and  Sherman.  They  all  took 
places  in  the  east  half  of  the  rotunda,  which  had  been  cleared  for  them,  the 
President  and  Cabinet  occupying  a  platform.  The  Marine  Band  rendered  a 
selection,  and  a  prayer  was  offered  by  Chaplain  F.  D.  Power.  The  President 
then  declared  the  Exposition  duly  opened  to  the  public,  after  which  he  held 
a  short  informal  reception  before  retiring. 

The  lofty  walls  of  the  rotunda  were  draped  with  maroon-colored  cloth  to 
a  height  some  distance  above  the  historical  paintings,  which  were  first  boarded 
over.  This  afforded  ample  space  for  the  hanging  of  the  pictures  exhibited* 
The  huge  circular  hall  itself  was  divided  into  four  sections  by  aisles  intersect- 
ing at  the  center,  where  were  exhibited  statuary,  pottery  and  other  interesting 
art-treasures. 

In  the  center  of  the  room,  on  the  spot  where  Garfield's  remains  had 
lain  in  state  a  little  over  a  year  before,  stood  a  bronzed  Gothic  temple  con- 
taining a  colossal  bust  of  the  martyred  President,  about  the  base  of  which 


The  National  Capitol  261 

living  plants  were  tastily  arranged.  Over  the  bust,  a  swinging  lantern  of 
handsome  design  was  kept  burning. 

This  was  a  gala  week  for  the  old  Hall  of  Representatives,  usually  as 
somber  as  "  some  banquet  hall  deserted."  There  was  held  the  bazaar  and 
there  were  arranged  the  State  booths,  where,  under  the  direction  of  lovely 
women,  a  tempting  array  of  flowers,  fancy-work,  bric-a-brac  and  bon-bons  were 
sold.  The  old  room  had  not  been  the  scene  of  such  a  brilliant  assemblage, 
such  a  chatter  of  voices  or  so  much  merry  laughter  in  many  and  many  a  year. 
It  formed  quite  a  contrast  to  the  rotunda,  where  art  had  its  quieting  effect 
upon  the  visitor.  Flowers,  ferns  and  grasses  graced  the  scene,  and  govern- 
ment displays  of  arms  from  the  War  Department  and  of  the  apparatus  of  the 
Life  Saving  Service  also  added  to  the  attractiveness  of  the  hall. 

Pianos  were  placed  in  the  open  space  near  the  light-well  in  front  of  the 
Supreme  Court  chamber,  and,  at  intervals  during  the  fair,  vocal  selections 
were  heard  reverberating  through  the  corridors  of  the  Capitol.  Even  the 
gloomy  crypt,  over  the  "  Washington  tomb,"  became  the  scene  of  light  and 
beauty.  Local  merchants  there  exhibited  their  fancy-goods,  tobacco,  uphol- 
stery and  confections. 

The  Exposition  closed  Saturday,  December  ad,  at  midnight.  Large 
crowds  attended  the  last  evening,  when  nearly  everything  that  was  left  was  dis- 
posed of  to  the  public  by  auction,  raffle  or  sale.  The  fair  did  not  net  as 
much  as  was  expected,  because  of  the  expenses,  which  were  necessarily  large. 
It  is  probably  the  last  so-called  social  event  that  will  be  held  at  the  Capitol ; 
for  much  damage  was  done  to  the  pictures  in  the  rotunda.  This  led  to  the  in- 
troduction of  a  resolution  by  Mr.  Anthony,  and  its  passage  in  the  Senate,  to 
prohibit  the  use  of  the  Capitol  for  other  than  its  legitimate  purposes. 


- 


APPENDIX 


CORRESPONDENCE 

On  consideration  of  the  three  plans  presented  by  Capt  Hobens  for  providing  an  apart- 
ment for  the  H.  of  Representatives  of  the  U.  S.  that  appears  to  me  most  to  be  approved 
which  proposes  to  raise,  to  the  height  of  one  story  only,  the  elliptical  wall  or  arcade  in  the 
Southern  wing  destined  ultimately  for  their  occupation  ;  without  carrying  up  at  present  the 
external  square  wall  which  is  to  include  it. 

TH.  JEFFERSON 

THE  COMMISSIONERS  June  2d  1801 

OF  THE  CITY  OF  WASHINGTON. 


Washington  to  Commissioners. 

MOUNT  VERNON/W/J'  z-^d  1792 
Gentlemen, 

Your  favor  of  the  igth  accompanying  Judge  Turner's  plan  for  a  Capitol,  I  have 
duly  received  and  have  no  hesitation  in  declaring  that  I  am  more  agreeably  struck  with  the 
appearance  of  it  than  with  any  that  has  been  presented  to  you. 

*  *  *  * 

There  is  the  same  defect,  however,  in  this  plan  as  there  is  all  the  plans  which  have 
been  presented  to  you — namely,  the  want  of  an  Executive  department ;  w,  ought,  if  possible, 
to  be  obtained. — The  Dome,  which  is  suggested  as  an  addition  to  the  center  of  the  edifice, 
would,  in  my  opinion,  give  a  beauty  and  grandeur  to  the  pile  ;  and  might  be  useful  for  the 
reception  of  a  clock,  Bell — &c. — The  Pilastrade,  too,  in  my  judgement,  ought  (if  the  plan  is 
adopted)  to  be  carried  around  the  semicircular  projections  at  the  end  ;  but  whether  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  have  the  elevation  of  the  upper  story  41  feet  is  questionable  ;  unless  it  be  to 
preserve  exactness  in  the  proportion  of  the  several  parts  of  the  building  ;— in  that  case,  the 
smaller  rooms  in  that  storey  would  be  elivated  sufficiently  if  cut  in  two,  &  would  be  the 
better  for  it  in  the  interior  provided  they  can  be  lighted. — This  would  add  to  the  number  of 
committee  rooms  of  which  there  appears  to  be  a  deficiency  : — 

*  *  *  * 

Could  such  a  plan  as  Judge  Turner's  be  surrounded  with  Columns,  and  a  Colonade  like 
that  which  was  presented  to  you  by  Maj.  Hallet  (the  roof  of  Hallet's  I  must  confess  does 
not  hit  my  taste)  without  departing  from  the  principal  of  architecture,  and  would  not  be  too 
expensive  for  our  means,  it  would  in  my  judgement  be  a  noble  and  desirable  structure.  — But 
I  would  have  it  understood  in  this  instance,  and  alien  vs.  when  I  am  hazarding  a  sentiment 
on  these  buildings,  that  I  profess  to  have  no  knowledge  in  architecture,  and  think  we  should 
(to  avoid  criticisms)  be  governed  by  the  established  rules  which  are  laid  down  by  the  pro- 
fessors of  this  art. 

1  think  you  have  engaged  Mr.  Hoban  upon  advantageous  terms  ;  and  hope  if  his  indus- 
try and  honesty  are  of  a  piece  with  the  specimen  he  has  given  of  his  abilities  .  .  . 


264  Appendix 

Commissioners  to  Thornton. 

GEORGETOWN  ^th  De  1792. 
Sir, 

Your  letter  of  gth  Ulto  is  now  before  us.  We  have  to  inform  you  that  as  none  of  the 
plans  sent  in  for  the  Capitol  met  with  our  entire  approbation,  Mr.  Hallet,  a  French  artist 
was  engaged  to  prepare  one,  which  he  tells  us  will  be  finished  by  the  first  of  next  month. 
As  we  shall  then  forward  it  immediately  to  the  President,  we  think  it  will  be  best,  for  you, 
to  lodge  your  plan  with  the  Secretary  of  State,  for  the  President's  inspection,  who,  when  he 
returns  Mr.  Mallets,  plan  will  also  send  us  yours.  .  .  . 


Washington  to  Commissioners. 

PHILADELPHIA,  31  January,  1793. 
Gentlemen, 

I  have  had  under  consideration  Mr.  Hallet's  plans  for  the  Capitol,  which  un- 
doubtedly have  a  great  deal  of  merit.  Doctor  Thornton  has  also  given  me  a  view  of  his. 
These  last  came  forward  under  some  very  advantageous  circumstances. — The  grandeur, 
simplicity,  and  beauty  of  the  exterior  ;  the  propriety  with  which  the  apartments  are  dis- 
tributed, and  economy  in  the  whole  mass  of  the  structure  will  I  doubt  not  give  it  a  prefer- 
ence in  your  eyes,  as  it  has  done  in  mine,  and  those  of  several  others  whom  I  have  consulted, 
and  who  are  deemed  men  of  skill  in  architecture.  I  have  therefore  thought  it  better  to  give 
the  Doctor  time  to  finish  his  plan  and  for  this  purpose  to  delay  'till  your  next  meeting  a  final 
decision.  Some  difficulty  arises  with  respect  to  Mr.  Hallet,  who  you  know  was  in  some 
degree  led  into  his  plans  by  ideas  we  all  expressed  to  him.  This  ought  not  to  induce  us  to 
prefer  it  to  a  better ;  but  while  he  is  liberally  rewarded  for  the  time  and  labor  he  has  ex- 
pended on  it,  his  feelings  should  be  saved  and  soothed  as  much  as  possible. 

I  leave  it  to  yourselves  how  best  to  prepare  him  for  the  possibility  that  the  Doctor's 
plan  may  be  preferred  to  his.  Some  ground  for  this  will  be  furnished  you  by  the  occasion 
you  probably  will  have  for  recourse  to  him  as  to  the  interior  of  the  apartments,  and  the  tak- 
ing him  into  service  at  a  fixed  allowance,  and  I  understand  that  his  necessities  render  it 
material  that  he  should  know  what  his  allowance  is  to  be. 

I  am,  &c. 


PHILADELPHIA  March  3d:  1793 
Gentlemen, 

This  will  be  handed  to  you  by  Doctor  Thornton  of  this  City,  who  goes  forward 
to  lay  before  you  a  plan  which  he  has  prepared  for  the  Capitol  proposed  to  be  built  in  the 
federal  City. 

Grandeur,  simplicity  and  convenience  appear  to  be  so  well  combined  in  this  plan  of 
Doctor  Thornton's,  that  I  have  no  doubt  of  its  meeting  with  that  approbation  from  you, 
which  I  have  given  it  under  an  attentive  inspection,  and  which  it  has  received  from  all  those 
who  have  seen  it  and  are  considered  as  judges  of  such  things. — 

How  far  the  expense  of  such  a  building,  as  is  exhibited  by  the  plan,  will  comport 
with  the  funds  of  the  City,  you  will  be  the  best  judges,  after  having  made  an  estimate  of  the 
quantity  of  materials  and  labour  to  be  employed  in  executing  it. — And  to  obviate  objection 
that  may  be  raised  on  this  head,  it  should  be  considered,  that  the  external  of  the  building 
will  be  the  only  immediate  expense  to  be  incurred. — The  internal  work — and  many  of  the 
ornamental  parts  without,  may  be  finished  gradually,  as  the  means  will  permit,  and  still  the 
whole  be  completed  within  the  time  contemplated  by  law  for  the  use  of  the  building. — 
With  very  great  esteem, 

I  am,  Gentlemen, 

THE  COMMISSIONERS  Your  Obed't  Servant, 

OF  THE  FEDERAL  DISTRICT.  G°-  WASHINGTON. 


Appendix  165 

Commissioners  to  Washington. 

GEORGETOWN  n  March,  1793. 
Sir, 

Dr.  Thornton's  plan  for  a  Capitol  has  been  laid  before  us ;  the  rooms  for  the 
different  Branches  of  Congress  and  Conference  room,  are  much  to  our  satisfaction  and  its 
outward  appearance  we  expect  will  be  striking  and  pleasing.  .  .  . 


Commissioners  to  Hallet. 

COMMISSIONERS'  OFFICE  zbjune  1794. 
Sir, 

.  .  .  In  general  nothing  has  ever  gone  from  us  by  which  we  intended  or  we 
believe  you  could  infer  that  you  had  the  chief  direction  of  executing  the  work  of  the 
Capitol  or  that  you  or  anybody  else  were  to  introduce  into  that  building  any  departures  from 
Doc1  Thorntons's  plan  without  the  President's  or  Commissioners'  approbation.  Mr.  Hoban 
was  employed  here  before  our  acquaintance  began  with  you  more  especially  as  chief  over  the 
President's  house,  of  which  he  was  fortunate  enough  to  produce  a  plan  which  meet  with 
general  we  may  almost  say  universal  approbation  and  to  extend  his  superintendence  to  any 
other  public  buildings  we  might  require — we  claimed  his  services  as  superior  at  the  Capitol 
and  this  was  explained  so  fully  last  fall  on  the  spot.  .  .  . 


PHILA.  gth  Novembr  1795 
Gentlemen, 

Your  letter  of  the  3ist.  Ulto  by  Mr.  Hatfield  has  been  received.  I  have  since  seen 
Mr.  Hoban.  I  have  had  a  good  deal  of  conversation  with  both  of  them,  in  the  presence 
of  each  other,  with  the  plans  before  us. 

From  the  explanation  of  the  former,  it  would  seem  as  if  he  had  not  been  perfectly 
understood  :  or  in  other  words — that  now  he  means  no  change  in  the  interior  of  the  building, 
of  the  least  importance  ;  nor  any  elsewhere,  that  will  occasion  delay,  or  add  to  the  expense 
— but  the  contrary:  while  the  exterior  will,  in  his  opinion,  assume  a  better  appearance,  and 
the  portico  be  found  more  convenient  than  on  the  present  plan.  As  far  as  I  understand  the 
matter,  the  difference  lies  simply  in  discarding  the  basement,  &  adding  an  attic  story,  if 
the  latter  shall  be  found  necessary  ;  but  this  (the  attic)  he  thinks  may  be  dispersed,  in  the 
manner  he  has  explained  it,  without — and  to  add  a  dome  over  the  open  or  circular  area  or 
lobby,  which  in  my  judgement  is  a  most  desirable  thing,  &  what  I  always  expected  was 
part  of  the  original  design,  until  otherwise  informed  in  my  late  visit  to  the  city,  if  strength 
can  be  given  to  it  &  sufficient  light  obtained. 

However  proper  it  may  have  been  to  you,  to  refer  the  decision  of  the  objection,  of  Mr. 
Hatfield  to  the  Executive :  I  shall  give  no  final  opinion  thereon. 

i.  Because  I  have  not  sufficient  knowledge  of  the  subject,  to  judge  with  precision.  2. 
because  the  means  of  acquiring  it,  are  not  within  my  reach. — 3.  if  they  were  pressed  as  I 
am  with  other  matters,  particularly  at  the  eve  of  an  approaching  perhaps  an  interesting  ses- 
sion of  Congress,  I  could  not  avail  myself  of  them  : — but  above  all,  because  I  have  not  the 
precise  knowledge  of  the  characters  you  have  to  deal  with — the  knowledge  of  all  the  facts 
you  have  before  you — nor  perhaps  the  same  view  you  can  take  of  the  consequences  of  a 
decision  for  or  against  Mr.  Hatfield's  proposed  alterations,  or  of  his  abilities  to  carry  them 
into  execution  if  adopted. 

I  have  told  him  in  decise  terms,  however,  that  if  the  plan  on  which  you  have  been  pro- 
ceeding, is  not  capitally  defective,  I  cannot  (after  such  changes,  delays,  and  expenses  as  have 
been  encountered  already)  consent  to  a  departure  from  it,  if  either  of  these  consequences  is 
to  be  involved  :  but  that  if  he  can  satisfy  you  of  the  contrary,  in  these  points, — I  should 
have  no  objection,  as  he  conceives  his  character  as  an  architect  is  in  some  measure  at  stake 
.  .  .  to  the  proposed  change  ;  provided  these  things,  as  I  have  just  observed,  can  be 
ascertained  to  your  entire  satisfaction.  I  added  further  as  a  matter  of  material  moment,  the 
short  term  for  which  he  was  engaged,  &  what  might  be  the  consequence  of  his  quitting  the 


266  Appendix 


building  at  the  end  thereof, — or  compelling  fresh  perhaps  exorbitant  terms,  if  a  new  agree- 
ment was  to  be  made.  To  this  he  replied,  that  he  would  not  only  promise,  but  bind  himself 
to  stick  by  the  building  until  it  was  finished. — 

On  the  spot — at  the  seat  of  information — with  a  view  of  the  materials  on  hand — the 
facility  of  obtaining  others — with  a  better  knowledge  of  the  only  characters  on  whom  you 
can  rely  for  carrying  on  the  buildings,  than  I  possess  ; — with  other  details  unknown  to  me, 
you  can  decide  with  more  safety  than  I  am  enabled  to  do,  on  the  measure  proposed  to  be 
pursued  under  the  embarassment  which  has  arisen  from  this  diversity  of  opinion. — That 
decision  be  it  what  it  may  will  be  agreeable  to 

Gentlemen 

THE  COMMISSIONERS  Your  Ob4  Serv' 

OF  THE  CITY  OF  WASHINGTON.  G°-  WASHINGTON. 


Jefferson  to  Latrobe. 

WASHINGTON  April  25.  1808 
Sir, 

.  .  .  South  wing — you  best  know  what  is  to  be  done  here — but  I  would  advise 
the  different  branches  of  the  work  to  be  done  successive/}',  paying  off  each  before  another 
is  begun. 

North  wing — to  be  begun  immediately  and  so  pressed  as  to  be  finished  this  season. 
I.  vault  with  brick  the  cellar  story.  2.  leave  the  present  Senate  chamber  exactly  in  its 
present  state.  3.  lay  a  floor  where  the  Gallery  now  is  to  be  the  floor  of  the  future  Senate 
Chamber,  open  it  above  to  the  roof  to  give  it  elevation  enough,  leaving  the  present  columns 
uninjured,  until  we  see  that  every  thing  else  being  done  &  paid  for  there  remains  enough 
to  make  these  columns  of  stone. 

You  see,  my  Dear  Sir,  that  the  object  of  this  cautius  proceeding  is  to  prevent  the  pos- 
sibility of  a  deficit  of  a  single  dollar  this  year.  The  lesson  of  the  last  year  has  been  a 
serious  one,  it  has  done  you  great  injury,  and  has  been  much  felt  by  myself — it  was  so  con- 
trary to  the  principles  of  our  Government,  which  make  the  representatives  of  the  people  the 
sole  arbiters  of  the  public  expense,  and  do  not  permit  any  work  to  be  forced  on  them  on  a 
larger  scale  than  their  judgement  deems  adapted  to  the  circumstances  of  the  Nation —  .  .  .. 


ARCHITECTS'    LETTERS. 

William  Thornton's  Letter  to  the  Members  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  dated 
Washington,  January  I,  1805. 

I  consider  it  as  a  duty,  not  only  to  the  public  but  to  myself,  to  correct  some  unfounded 
statements  made  by  Mr.  Benjamin  H.  Latrobe,  in  his  letter  to  the  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee of  the  house  of  representatives  in  congress,  dated  at  Washington,  28th  February, 
1804. 

This  report  I  did  not  see  till  23d  of  April  following,  long  after  the  rising  of  Con- 
gress, and  must  own  it  excited  my  surprise.  Previous  to  Mr.  Latrobe's  appointment,  when 
he  came  here  to  report  on  the  dry  docks,  suggested  by  the  President,  he  often  complimented 
me  on  the  plan  of  the  capitol,  a  ground  plan  and  elevations  of  which  I  had  shown  him;  and 
he  declared  in  presence  of  the  superintendent  that  he  never  saw  any  plan  of  a  building 
besides  his  own  and  this  *  that  he  would  deign  to  execute.  I  must  own  I  cannot  easily  con- 

*  Latrobe  in  the  notes  to  his  report  of  Nov.  28,  1806,  says: 

I  told  the  author  of  the  Plan  of  the  Capitol  that  I  admired  that  work  so  much  that  I  never  saw  any 
plan  of  a  building  in  my  life,  not  drawn  by  myself,  which  I  would  be  willing  to  execute  except  that ;  & 
this  I  declare  he  has  asserted  &  will  declare  under  oath  ;  but  it  was  only  one  of  my  "  polite  ambigui- 
ties," &  I  only  said  so  to  flatter  him  into  a  friendly  wish  to  see  me  appointed,  for  it  never  was  my 
opinion. 

I  saw  a  copy  of  the  plan  given  to  the  President  some  months  before  I  drew  mine.  I  now  remember 
there  were  ten  or  twelve  rooms  which  could  have  been  made  without  the  expense  of  altering  or  taking 
down  the  brick  work,  &  would  have  saved  fifty  thousand  dollars.  Many  of  these  rooms  were  larger 
than  any  of  mine,  but  as  Queen  Elizabeth  said  of  Queen  Mary,  "  they  were  too  large.— Mine  are  exactly 
the  proper  size;"  for  if  one  of  the  committee  snould  fall  asleep  in  his  chair,  he  will  not  have  room 
enough  to  fall  back  and  break  his  neck. 


Appendix  267 

ceive  why  previous  to  his  appointment  I  should  hear  nothing  but  approbation  of  my  plan, 
and  after  his  appointment  nothing  but  condemnation. 

In  the  commencement  of  the  report  he  mentioned  the  approval  of  my  plan  by  General 
Washington.  Alterations  of  it  were  afterwards  authorized  by  law;  but  not  I  believe  because 
it  was  impracticable,  for  on  fuller  investigation  it  was  admitted  to  be  practicable  by  some 
who  had  before  deemed  it  not  so;  but  because  some  alterations  would  improve  it.  Mr. 
Hallet  was  appointed  to  execute  it,  but  not  till  after  I  had  refused  to  superintend  its  execu- 
tion; for  with  the  able  assistance  to  be  derived  from  some  of  the  excellent  workmen  who 
were  engaged,  I  am  confident  I  could  have  done  as  much  justice  to  the  public  as  some 
architects,  whose  fame  has  depended  more  on  the  assistance  of  judicious  men  than  on  their 
own  abilities  .  .  .  When  General  Washington  honored  me  with  the  appointment  of  com- 
missioner, he  requested  I  would  restore  the  building  to  a  correspondence  with  the  original 
plan.  Not  a  stone  of  the  elevation  was  laid.  I  drew  another  elevation  preserving  the  general 
ideas,  but  making  such  alterations  as  the  difference  in  the  dimensions  of  the  ground  plan 
rendered  necessary.  I  improved  the  appearance  and  restored  the  dome.  This  obliged  me 
to  cause  the  foundations,  laid  by  Mr.  Hallet  to  form  an  open  square  in  the  centre,  to  be 
taken  up  on  the  south  side  of  the  north  wing,  where  a  segment  of  the  dome,  or  grand  vesti- 
bule, is  now  built;  but  a  portion  of  what  I  meant  to  remove  was  directed  by  the  board  of 
commissioners  to  remain,  in  order  to  erect  thereon  a  temporary  building  of  brick,  for  the 
accommodation  of  Congress,  till  more  committee  rooms  could  be  prepared,  by  a'  further 
progress  of  the  building.  On  the  opposite  side  the  walls  built  by  Mr.-  Hallet  between  the 
dome  and  representatives'  chamber,  still  remain,  which  may  in  some  measure  account  for 
the  difference,  mentioned  by  Mr.  Latrobe,  between  the  plan  as  laid  and  the  drawing.  Mr. 
Hallet  was  not  in  the  public  service  when  or  since  I  was  appointed  a  commissioner  which 
was  on  the  I2th  September,  1794.  Mr.  Had  field  was  appointed  to  superintend  the  work  at 
the  Capitol,  October  I5th,  1795.  At  the  time  of  his  appointment  the  freestone  work  of  the 
basement  story  of  the  north  wing  was  carried  up  too  high  to  admit  of  any  material  alteration, 
and  the  materials  were  principally  prepared  for  its  completion.  He  waited  on  General 
Washington  to  urge  the  propriety  of  various  alterations.  The  General  (then  President)  dis- 
countenanced all  alterations,  being  satisfied  with  the  plan  as  then  under  execution.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  Mr.  Had  field  declined  the  further  superintendence  of  the  capitol.  He  was 
afterwards  re-appointed  to  superintend  the  execution  of  the  plan  without  alterations,  in 
which  he  engaged.  Thus  Mr.  Latrobe  must  have  been  exceedingly  misinformed,  when  he 
speaks  of  the  various  stiles  of  each  architect  shewing  themselves  in  the  work  :  one  having 
been  out  of  public  employ,  before  the  present  elevation  was  drawn,  and  before  a  single 
freestone  was  laid,  and  the  other  having  taken  his  discharge  because  he  was  not  permitted 
to  make  any  material  alterations.  They  are  both  however  men  of  genius,  which  I  acknowl- 
edge with  pleasure. 

Mr.  Latrobe's  observation  respecting  the  want  of  agreement  of  the  plan  and  foundation 
is  already  answered;  but,  if  I  could  be  surprised  at  any  observation  made  by  Mr.  Latrobe, 
after  reading  his  report,  it  would  be  at  his  stating  that  the  author  furnished  him  with  only 
a  ground  plan.  It  may  be  true  that  I  did  not  give  him  drawings,  but  I  informed  him  what 
was  intended  in  completing  the  south  wing. 

He  speaks  of  the  impracticability  of  the  plan  of  the  south  wing.  It  has  been  deemed 
practicable  by  very  skilful,  and  practical  architects;  and  I  never  heard  it  disputed  by  any 
other  than  himself.  He  told  me  he  could  not  execute  it  as  it  was  intended.  To  support  a 
coved  cieling,  formed  in  the  manner  of  the  Hal  au  Hie  at  Paris,  of  the  extent  contemplated, 
on  columns  of  wood,  cannot,  in  the  conception  of  any  architect,  be  difficult;  and  I  believe 
it  will  be  generally  admitted,  that  the  grandeur  of  the  room  contemplated,  would  far  exceed 
the  appearance  of  the  one  intended  by  him,  and  at  a  much  less  expense.  The  stability  of 
the  work  could  not  be  an  objection,  when  it  is  remembered  how  many  hundred  years  \ 
minster  hall  has  stood. 

It  is  astonishing  what  evidence  is  considered  as  sufficient  to  establish  facts  to  a  mind, 
that,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  appears  preoccupied  by  a  desire  to  condemn.  "  The  most  indis- 
"  putable  evidence  was  brought  before  me  to  prove"  (</  ni-gatii»i)  "that  no  sections  or 
"detailed  drawings  of  the  building  had  ever  existed,  excepting  those  which  were  from  time 
"  to  time  made  by  Messrs.  Hallet  and  Hadfield,  for  their  own  use  in  the  direction  of  the 
"work,"  p.  IO.  It  will  be  remembered  that  one  of  these  gentlemen  never  superintended 
the  laying  of  a  single  stone  of  the  elevation;  the  other  did  not  make  a  single  section  that  I 


268  Appendix 

ever  heard  of,  but  required  sections  of  me,  which  I  drew,  and  of  which  Mr.  Monroe  told 
me  he  had  informed  Mr.  Latrobe! 

The  whole  area  of  the  south  wing  of  the  capitol  might  be  conceived  by  some  as  too 
extensive  for  a  chamber  of  representatives,  but  if  we  consider  the  rapid  increase  of  the 
American  people,  and  that  500  representatives  may  be  required,  neither  the  space  allotted 
for  the  members  nor  the  gallery  for  the  audience,  will  be  considered  as  too  large.  To  lessen 
either  would  consequently  be  in  my  opinion  a  very  important  objection. 

Mr.  Latrobe  mentions  the  want  of  committee  and  other  rooms.  The  President  of  the 
United  States  had,  some  months  before  Mr.  Latrobe's  appointment,  spoken  to  me  on  this 
subject,  and  asked  if  they  could  not  be  formed  in  the  basement  story,  with  convenience 
under  the  representatives'  chamber.  Approving  much  the  idea  of  many  accounts,  indepen- 
dent of  its  restoring  the  building  to  a  greater  conformity  with  my  original  drawing,  from 
which  I  had  deviated  by  other  advice,  I  made  a  design  of  the  north  wing,  raised  the  com- 
mittee rooms  under  the  galleries,  and  with  a  lobby  to  the  south;  also  with  chambers  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  officers  of  the  house  ;  besides  what  was  intended  over  the  galleries. 
The  President's  idea  was  carried  further,  for  I  drew  a  plan  of  the  Senate  room,  raised 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  base  of  the  columns,  and  with  two  good  rooms  underneath,  one  on 
each  side,  besides  two  smaller  for  papers,  &c.  and  a  passage  from  a  door  in  the  external 
centre  to  the  lobby.  This  would  much  improve  the  proportion  of  the  Senate  room,  the 
arcade  of  which  is  too  high  for  the  columns.  A  coved  cieling  might  be  thrown  from  the 
entablature,  so  as  to  give  any  required  elevation.  These  alterations  were  laid  before  the 
President  many  months  before  Mr.  Latrobe's  report  was  written;  and  if  Mr.  Latrobe  had 
extended  his  alterations  only  to  the  committee  and  other  rooms,  however  they  might  have 
differed  from  mine  in  form,  or  appropriation,  I  would  not  have  considered  them  of  sufficient 
importance  to  call  forth  my  objections;  but  under  a  sincere  conviction  that  the  representa- 
tives' chamber  will  be  irreparably  injured  by  alteration  now  in  execution,  I  am  compelled  by 
a  sense  of  duty,  but  with  great  reluctance  on  other  accounts,  to  express  my  disapprobation 
of  the  measure. 

I  have  seen  Mr.  Latrobe's  report  of  December  last,  and  find  much  stress  is  laid  on  the 
imperfections  of  the  foundation  of  the  south  wing,  which  required  it  to  be  taken  down. 
Six  feet  (in  height)  of  that  foundation  had  been  built  by  a  contractor,  during  whose  absence 
the  work  was  ill-constructed  by  those  in  whom  he  had  confided.  The  work  was  directed  to 
be  examined,  and  was  condemned  by  the  commissioners.  The  correspondent  part  in  the 
north  wing  was  taken  down,  and  good  bond  stones  intermingled  throughout  the  new  work, 
by  which  it  was  rendered  completely  solid;  and  as  that  and  the  stone  work  of  the  elevation 
were  well  executed,  if  any  defect  can  hereafter  be  discovered  it  must  depend  upon  injuries 
received,  by  piercing  so  many  large  holes  through  it,  or  on  defects  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
foundation,  which  was  laid  before  I  was  in  office.  It  was  a  query  at  the  time  of  its  execu- 
tion whether  it  would  not  be  better  to  lay  the  foundation  with  inverted  arches,  but  it  was 
thought  more  expensive  and  not  better  than  by  good  bond-stone  in  the  more  usual  manner  ; 
and  I  imagine  that  those  who  pierced  the  foundation  of  the  north  wing,  thereby  injuring  it, 
by  cutting  loose  many  of  the  bonds,  found  it  to  be  unexceptionable  work;  and  that  it  will 
yet  stand  firm  I  have  no  doubt,  but  I  think  it  might  have  been  perfectly  aired  by  tubes, 
at  a  trifling  expense  and  without  risking  any  injury  whatever. 

The  roof  has  been  justly  condemned.  It  is  next  to  impossible  to  put  any  elevated 
covering  that  shall  resist  the  ingress  of  water  when  the  gutters  are  filled  with  snow,  or 
deluges  of  rain.  I  objected  to  the  roof  as  now  executed  but  not  solely  on  that  account.  By 
rising  so  high,  the  balustrade  is  darkened  behind,  till  the  beholder  advance  so  near  the 
building  as  to  lose  the  general  view:  it  is  thus  rendered  heavy  in  appearance.  I  proposed  a 
flat  roof  made  with  a  composition  that  has  since  been  found  to  answer  perfectly  by  Mr. 
Foxall,  who  by  varying  the  ingredients  a  little  has  formed  a  variety  of  excellent  cements. 
It  is  made  in  imitation  of  terraced  roofs  though  greatly  superior.  A  covering  formed  in  the 
manner  he  has  executed,  is  not  much  dearer  than  a  roof  of  good  shingles,  and  it  will  stand 
for  ages  without  leaking  a  drop,  if  even  knee  deep  in  water.  Its  excellence  also  consists, 
not  a  little,  in  its  growing  better  by  age,  it  becoming  as  hard  as  iron  itself.  Those  who 
have  any  doubts  of  the  perfection  of  this  kind  of  covering  may  be  easily  satisfied  by  exam- 
ining a  roof  executed  by  Mr.  Foxall  the  year  before  last  at  his  own  house  in  Georgetown, 
or  the  roof  of  one  of  the  public  stores  executed  the  last  year  at  the  navy  yard  in  this  city. 


Appendix  269 

Latrobe's  Private  Letter  to  the  Individual  Members  of  Congress,  November  28,  1806. 

In  the  year  1803  .  .  .  that  part  of  the  south  wing  of  the  Capitol  in  which  the 
House  of  Representatives  then  sat  was  in  such  a  state  as  to  require  building  from  the  very 
foundation  ...  In  the  year  1803,  the  foundations  of  the  external  walls  were  con- 
demned and  pulled  down.  The  center  building  occupied  by  the  House  of  Representatives 
remained  standing, — because  in  the  opinion  of  many,  a  further  appropriation  appeared  at 
least  doubtful.  The  difficulty  of  working  in  the  narrow  space  round  that  building  can 
scarcely  be  conceived,  and  as  the  House  met  in  December,  all  our  men  were  of  course  dis- 
charged before  that  time.  In  1804  the  session  concluded  in  March,  &  then  first  could  our 
works  commence.  Much  time  was  lost  in  pulling  down  and  removing  the  old  building, 
and  before  any  new  work  could  be  begun.  However,  the  progress  made  that  year  was 
great,  considering  all  the  disadvantages  we  labored  under  .  .  .  As  I  had  distinguished 
the  recess  from  the  south  wing,  the  omission  to  appropriate  for  that  part  appeared  to  forbid 
its  erection.  But  the  plan  of  the  building  was  necessarily  such,  that  the  whole  area  of  the 
south  wing  was  repaired  for  the  Hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  The  external  walls 
therefore  could  receive  no  support  from  internal  walls: — The  south,  eas  west  walls 

had  been  built  so  solidly  and  were  so  strengthened  in  the  angles  by  the  stair  cases  of  the 
galleries,  that  there  could  be  no  danger  of  their  giving  way  to  the  pressure  of  the  vaults, — 
but  the  north  wall  which,  in  relation  to  the  whole  building,  is  an  internal  wall,  and  the 
support  of  which  depended  upon  the  recess,  had  not  been  calculated  to  stand  alone.  It  was 
therefore  carried  up  one  story,  and  no  alteration  of  consequence  could  be  made  .  .  . 

That  the  House  has  not  been  completed,  has  been  simply  owing  to  this,  that  its  com- 
pletion was  impossible  in  itself.  When  the  President  of  the  United  States  did  me  the  honor 
to  entrust  to  me  the  charge  of  the  buildings,  I  found  the  north  wing  already  constructed, 
and  a  commencement  made  in  the  erection  of  the  south  wing. 

The  designs  of  the  public  buildings  at  Washington  were  chosen  from  a  collection 
obtained  by  public  advertisement,  offering  a  reward  for  the  plan  most  approved  by  the  then 
president  of  the  United  States.  This  mode  of  procuring  designs  of  public  buildings, 
though  exceedingly  common,  is  certain  of  defeating  its  own  end.  It  brings  into  competi- 
tion all  the  personal  vanity  of  those  who  think  they  have  knowledge  and  taste  in  an  art  which 
they  have  never  had  an  opportunity  to  learn  or  practice  ;  *  .  .  .  and  it  keeps  out  of  the 
competition  all  who  have  too  much  self-respect  to  run  the  race  of  preference  with  such  motly 
companions,  and  especially  of  all  regularly  educated  professional  men, — who  understand 
their  business  too  well  not  to  know  that  a  picture  is  not  a  design. 

I  frankly  confess  that  excepting  in  a  few  details,  all  my  ideas  of  good  taste,  and  even 
of  good  sense  in  architecture  were  shocked  by  the  style  of  the  building,  f 

The  entrance  to  the  south  wing  from  the  ground  or  office  story  will  be  in  the  recess. 
That  in  the  east  front  will  be  closed,  it  being  intended  for  a  window.  It  has  been  opened 
to  the  ground  only  for  the  convenience  of  the  workmen.  The  outer  door  leads  into  a  hall 
or  vestibule.  On  the  left  hand  is  a  door  opening  into  a  committee  room.  From  the 

*  When  I  wrote  this  I  did  not  know  that  our  Present  Chief  Magistrate  of  the  Union  [Jeffer- 
son], was  then  Secretary  of  State:  and  that  he  published  in  his  (nun  name  for  the  plans,  and  aided 
General  Washington,  the  then  President,  in  the  choice  of  the  one  selected  :  but  let  me  at  the  same  time 
add,  that  as  /  was  not  in  the  country,  it  became  a  matter  of  necessity  ;  as  there  is  not  a  scientific  man  in 
the  country  but  myself,  as  I  once  told  the  present  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  before  several  witnesses.  I 
cannot  on  this  subject  say  less,  though  modesty  and  delicacy  prevent  me  from  saying  much  more. 

t  On  reflection  I  must  admit  that  the  style  of  the  Capital  is  very  plain,  and  almost  destitute 
of  decoration  considering  it  is  the  highest  order,  the  Corinthian;  especially  if  we  compare  it  with  some 
of  the  most  admired  works  of  the  ancients ;  particularly  the  Maison  Quarre  of  Nismes,  the  frieze  of 
which  is  remarkably  rich,  and  all  the  dressings  of  the  aoors  and  windows,  &c.  are  very  highly  orna- 
mented by  carving,  while  those  of  the  Capitol  are  plain  and  the  frieze  of  the  entablature  has  "not  a 
stroke  of  carving,  or  ornament.  The  Maison  puarre  is  thought  by  the  President,  and  others,  to  be  one 
of  the  finest  pieces  of  antiquity,  a  model  of  which  he  sent  and  recommended  for  the  plan  of  the  Capitol 
at  Richmond,  but  which  is  said  to  be  spoiled  by  deviating  from  the  plan,  which  I  saw  when  I  was 
building  that  Chef  D'Oeuvre,  the  Penetcntiary  House,  in  tnat  city.  However,  I  am  sorry  to  say  I  for 
one  differ  from  this  great  man;  but  he  cannot  attribute  to  this  declaration  any  intention  to  offend,  when 
I  say  I  differ  with  every  great  architect  for  these  three  or  four  hundred  years  back.  He  would  never 
have  thought  of  the  Maison  Ouarre,  if  he  could  have  formed  an  idea  of  my  Centre  house,  Philadelphia. 
The  Hank  of  Pennsylvania  I  know  has  been  much  admired,  but  it  would  have  been  much  handsomer  if 
Joseph  Fox  ami  the  late  John  Hlakcly,  K«|rs.  directors,  who  had  travelled,  had  not  confined  me  to  a 
copy  of  the  Parthenon  of  Athens,  which  circumstance  the  world  are  not  generally  acquainted  with. 
7^e  lantern  on  the  top  I  claim  as  my  own,  tho1  every  body  who  wants  taste  thinks  it  spoils  the  whole. 


the  most  striking  proof  that  can  be  adduced. 




is  perhaps 


*  On  the  south  front  ...  I  must  own  I  do  not  know  what  the  workmen  were  doing-  in  building 
up  two  windows,  with  expensive  hewn  freestone,  which  I  shall  be  obliged  to  cut  down  and  altar  into 
doors  :  but  I  was  not  present  when  they  made  these  foolish  blunders.  They  likewise  built  up  the  wall  of 
\}ae.  projecting  recess  and  omitted  three  windows  which  I  have  been  obliged  to  cut  out  first.  The  stairs 
to  which  these  window  doors  will  hereafter  lead,  offer  something  as  amusing  as  the  brickkiln  at  the 
bottom  of  the  nth  page.  As  I  was  going  up  one  of  these  stone  stairs  their  want  of  height  knocked  off 
my  spectacles,  on  which  there  was  a  general  laugh;  whereupon,  I  immediately  ordered  the  workmen 
to  cut  away  the  under  part  of  each  step,  which  has  been  done  ;  and  now  there  is  room  enough  for  a  man 
5  feet  6  inches  to  walk  up  without  stooping.  These  steps  have  some  how  or  other  separated  from  the 
walls,  but  that  will  never  be  seen  when  plugged  and  plastered. 


Appendix  271 


That  it  will  be  a  splendid  room, — probably  the  most  splendid  Legislative  Hall  that  has 
ever  been  erected, — is  certain  :  \-  it  will  also  be  extremely  convenient  in  its  arrangement, 
and  remarkably  warm  in  winter  and  cool  in  summer. 

The  whole  of  the  wing  excepting  the  Legislative  Hall  is  vaulted.  It  was  originally 
intended  that  this  dome  should  also  be  turned  in  bricks,  and  the  construction  is  such  that  it 
may  at  any  time,  should  the  present  dome  of  timber  decay,  be  covered  with  a  brick  or  stone 
dome. 

On  the  ground  floor  of  the  north  wing,  including  lobbies  and  stairs,  are  12  apartments, 
— in  the  south  are  22  apartments,  lobbies  &  stairs,  &  n  depots  of  records,  &  fuel  cellars  of 
cheaper  construction  ;  in  all  33. 

NOTE. — In  recapitulating  the  expenses  of  the  south  wing-,  I  beg  leave  to  state,  that  I  have  not 
included  any  of  the  fine  flat  stone  taken  up  from  the  footways  from  the  Capitol  to  George-Town,  nearly, 
which  cost  the  commissioners  eight  or  ten  thousand  dollars  ;  for  why  should  I  reckon  stones  picked  out 
of  the  streets  .  .  .  They  are  clear  gain :  nor  have  I  reckoned  what  I  took  from  the  foundations  in 
the  front ;  nor  have  I  calculated  many  tons  of  free-stone  rejected  by  the  commissioners  as  unworthy, 
of  the  front.  If  I  show  the  skill  of  working  up  what  they  thought  unworthy,  I  ought  to  claim  credit, 
instead  of  allowing  such  items  as  charges. 


LETTER    FROM    JOHN    TRUMBULL    RELATIVE    TO    HIS   PAINTINGS   IN 

THE  ROTUNDA. 

Read  and  laid  upon  the  Table,  December  9,  1828. 

To  the  Hon.  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  U.  S. 

Sir  :  On  the  3Oth  of  May  last,  I  received  from  the  Commissioner  of  the  Public  Build- 
ings a  copy  of  the  resolution  of  the  honorable  the  House  of  Representatives,  dated  the  26th 
of  May,  authorizing  him  to  take  the  proper  measures  for  securing  the  paintings  in  the 
Rotundo  from  the  effect  of  dampness,  under  my  direction. 

I  had  always  regarded  the  perpetual  admission  of  damp  air  into  the  Rotundo  from  the 
crypt  below,  as  the  great  cause  of  the  evil  required  to  be  remedied  ;  and,  of  course,  consid- 
ered the  effectual  closing  of  the  aperture  which  had  been  left  in  the  centre  of  the  floor  as  an 
indispensible  part  of  remedy.  I  had  communicated  my  opinions  on  this  subject  to  the 
Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  the  Public  Buildings,  and  had  been  informed  that  this  had 
been  ordered  to  be  done. 

So  soon,  therefore,  as  I  received  information  from  the  Commissioner  that  this  work  was 
completed,  (as  well  as  an  alteration  in  the  skilight,  which  I  had  suggested,)  and  that  the 
workmen  and  incumbrances  were  removed  out  of  the  room,  I  came  on. 

1st.  All  the  paintings  were  taken  down,  removed  from  their  frames,  taken  off  from  the 
panels  over  which  they  are  strained,  removed  to  a  dry  warm  room,  and  there  separately  and 
carefully  examined.  The  material  which  forms  the  ba^is  of  these  paintings  is  a  linen  cloth, 
whose  strength  and  texture  is  very  similar  to  that  used  in  the  top  gallant-sails  of  a  ship  of 
war.  The  substances  employed  in  forming  a  proper  surface  for  the  artist,  together  with  the 
colors,  oils,  &c.  employed  by  him  in  his  work,  form  a  sufficient  protection  for  the  threads 
of  the  canvas  on  this  face,  but  the  back  remains  bare,  and,  of  course,  exposed  to  the  delec- 
terious  influence  of  damp  air.  The  effect  of  this  is  first  seen  in  the  form  of  milldew  ;  it  was 
this  which  I  dreaded  ;  and  the  examination  showed  that  milldew  was  already  commenced, 
and  to  an  extent  which  rendered  it  manifest  that  the  continuence  of  the  same  exposure, 
which  they  had  hitherto  undergone,  for  a  very  few  years  longer,  would  have  accomplished 
the  complete  decomposition  or  rotting  of  the  canvas,  and  the  consequent  destruction  of  the 
paintings.  The  first  thing  to  be  done  was  to  dry  the  canvas  perfectly,  which  was  accom- 
plished by  laying  down  each  picture  successively  on  its  face,  upon  a  clean  dry  carpet,  and 
exposing  the  back  to  the  influence  of  the  warmth  of  a  dry  and  well  aired  room.  The  next 
thing  was  to  devise  and  apply  some  substance  which  would  act  permanently  as  a  preserva- 
tive against  future  possible  exposure. 

I  had  learned  that,  a  few  years  ago,  some  of  the  eminent  chemists  of  France  had  exam- 
ined with  great  care  several  of  the  ancient  mummies  of  Egypt,  with  a  view  to  ascertain  the 
nature  of  the  substance  employed  by  the  embalmers.  which  the  lapse  of  so  many  ages  had 
proved  to  possess  the  power  ot  protecting  from  decay  a  substance  otherwise  so  perishable  as 
I? 


z;a  Appendix 

the  human  body.  This  examination  had  proved  that,  after  the  application  of  liquid  asphaU 
turn  to  the  cavities  of  the  head  and  body,  the  whole  had  been  wrapped  carefully  in  many 
envelopes,  or  bandages  of  linen,  prepared  with  -wax.  The  committee  of  chemists  decided 
further,  after  a  careful  examination  and  analysis  of  the  hieroglyphic  paintings  with  which 
the  cases,  &c.  are  covered,  that  the  colors  employed,  and  still  retaining  their  vivid  bright- 
ness, had  also  been  prepared  and  applied  with  the  same  substance. 

I  also  knew  that,  towards  the  close  of  the  last  century,  the  Antiquarian  Society  of  Eng- 
land had  been  permitted  to  open  and  examine  the  stone  coffin  deposited  in  one  of  the  vaults 
of  Westminster  Abbey,  and  said  to  contain  the  body  of  King  Edward  I.,  who  died  in  July, 
1307.  On  removing  the  stone  lid  of  the  coffin,  its  contents  were  found  to  be  closely  envel- 
oped in  a  strong  linen  cloth,  waxed.  Within  this  envelope  were  found  splendid  robes  of 
silk,  enriched  with  various  ornaments  covering  the  body,  which  was  found  to  be  entire,  and 
to  have  been  wrapped  carefully  in  all  its  parts,  even  to  each  separate  finger,  in  bandages  of 
fine  linen,  which  had  been  dipped  in  melted  wax  ;  and  not  only  was  the  body  not  decom- 
posed, but  the  various  parts  of  the  dress,  such  as  a  scarlet  satin  mantle,  and  a  scarlet  piece 
of  sarsnet  which  was  placed  over  the  face,  were  in  perfect  preservation,  even  to  their  colors. 
The  knowledge  of  these  facts  persuaded  me  that  wax,  applied  to  the  back  of  the  paintings, 
would  form  the  best  defence,  hitherto  known  to  exist,  against  the  destructive  effects  of  damp 
and  stagnant  air  ;  and  therefore, 

2dly.  Common  beeswax  was  melted  over  the  fire  with  an  equal  quantity  (in  bulk)  of  oil 
of  turpentine  ;  and  this  mixture,  by  the  help  of  large  brushes,  was  applied  hot  to  the  back 
of  each  cloth,  and  was  afterwards  rubbed  in  with  hot  irons,  until  the  cloths  were  perfectly 
saturated. 

3dly.  In  the  mean  time,  the  nitches  in  the  solid  wall,  in  which  the  paintings  are 
placed,  were  carefully  plaistered  with  hydraulic  cement,  to  prevent  any  possible  exudation 
of  moisture  from  the  wall ;  and  as  there  is  a  space  from  2  to  8  inches  deep  between  the  sur- 
face of  the  wall  and  the  back  of  the  panels  on  which  the  cloths  are  strained,  I  caused  small 
openings  to  be  cut  into  the  wall,  above  and  under  the  edge  of  the  frames,  and  communicat- 
ing with  those  vacant  spaces,  for  the  purpose  of  admitting  the  air  of  the  room  behind  the 
paintings,  and  thus  keeping  up  a  constant  ventilation,  by  means  of  which  the  same  tempera- 
ture of  air  will  be  maintained  at  the  back  of  the  paintings  as  on  their  face. 

4thly.  The  cloths  were  finally  strained  upon  panels,  for  the  purpose  of  guarding  against 
injury  from  careless  or  intentional  blows  of  sticks,  canes,  &c.,  or  childrens'  missiles.  These 
panels  are  perforated  with  many  holes,  to  admit  the  air  freely  to  the  back  of  the  cloths  ;  and 
being  perfectly  dried,  were  carefully  painted,  to  prevent  the  wood  from  absorbing  or  trans- 
mitting any  humidity.  The  whole  were  then  restored  to  their  places,  and  finally  cleaned 
with  care,  and  slightly  revarnished.  '• 

Sthly.  As  the  accumulation  of  dust  arising  from  sweeping  so  large  a  room,  and,  what 
is  much  worse,  the  filth  of  flies,  (the  most  destructive  enemies  of  painting,)  if  not  carefully 
guarded  against,  renders  necessary  the  frequent  washing  and  cleaning  of  the  surface  of 
pictures,  every  repetition  of  which  is  injurious,  I  have  directed  curtains  to  be  placed,  which 
can  be  drawn  in  front  of  the  whole,  whenever  the  room  is  to  be  swept,  as  well  as  in  the 
recess  of  the  Legislature  during  the  Summer,  when  flies  are  most  pernicious. 

6thly.  As  nothing  is  more  obvious  than  the  impossibility  of  keeping  a  room  warm  and 
dry  by  means  of  fire,  so  long  as  doors  are  left  open  for  the  admission  of  the  external  air,  I 
have  further  directed  self-closing  baise  doors  to  be  prepared  and  placed,  so  that  they  will 
unavoidably  close  behind  every  one  who  shall  either  enter  or  leave  the  room. 

When  the  doors  are  kept  closed,  and  fires  lighted  in  the  furnaces  below,  to  supply  warm 
air,  I  find  the  temperature  of  this  vast  apartment  is  easily  maintained  at  about  68  of  Fahren- 
heit ;  and  the  simple  precaution  of  closed  doors  being  observed,  in  addition  to  the  others 
which  I  have  employed,  I  entertain  no  doubt  that  these  paintings  are  now  perfectly  and 
permanently  secured  against  the  delecterious  effects  of  dampness. 

I  regret  that  I  was  not  authorized  to  provide  against  the  dangers  of  damage  by  violence, 
whether  intended  or  accidental.  Curiosity  naturally  leads  men  to  touch,  as  well  as  to  look 
at,  objects  of  this  kind  ;  and,  placed  low  as  they  are,  not  only  the  gilded  frames  and  cur- 
tains, but  the  surface  of  the  paintings  are  within  the  reach  of  spectators  :  repeated  handling, 
even  by  the  best  intentioned  and  most  careful,  will,  in  the  course  of  a  few  years,  produce 
essential  damage.  But  one  of  the  paintings  testifies  to  the  possibility  of  their  being 
approached,  for  the  very  purpose  of  doing  injury  ;  the  right  foot  of  General  Morgan,  in  the 


Appendix  273 

picture  of  Saratoga,  was  cut  off  with  a  sharp  instrument,  apparently  a  penknife.  I  have 
repaired  the  wound,  but  the  scar  remains  visible.  If  I  had  possessed  the  authority,  I  should 
have  placed  in  front,  and  at  the  distance  of  not  less  than  ten  feet  from  the  wall,  an  iron 
railing,  of  such  strength  and  elevation  as  should  form  a  complete  guard  against  external 
injury  by  ill-disposed  persons  ;  unless  they  employed  missiles  of  some  force. 


LETTER   FROM    THE   SONS  OF  BENJAMIN   WEST,  OFFERING  TO   SELL 
HIS  PAINTINGS  TO  THE  GOVERNMENT. 

Read,  and  laid  upon  the  Table,  December  n,  1826. 

To  the  Hon.  J.  \V.  Taylor, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

Sir:  The  sons  of  the  late  Benjamin  West  request  that  you  will  do  them  the  favor  to  repre- 
sent to  Congress  the  desire  they  have  of  offering  the  body  of  their  father's  works,  which 
has  devolved  to  them,  to  the  Government  of  the  United  States  for  purchase,  feeling  deeply 
impressed  with  the  conviction  that  the  works  of  their  father  should  find  their  final  place  of 
destiny  in  his  native  country.  Their  father  was  the  first  American  born  subject  who  dis- 
tinguished himself  by  a  spontaneous  pursuit  of  the  fine  arts,  his  extraordinary  love  of  which 
induced  him  to  leave  his  native  country  in  the  twenty-first  year  of  his  age,  to  study  the 
works  of  the  renowned  masters  of  that  art,  which  were  to  be  seen  in  Italy. 

After  the  completion  of  his  studies  in  Italy,  which  he  prosecuted,  during  four  years, 
with  such  avidity  that  it  occasioned  a  fever  which  nearly  deprived  him  of  life,  he  went  to 
England,  where  his  talent  for  the  arts  very  soon  attracted  the  attention  of  some  leading 
amateur  characters  ;  and  his  having  painted  a  picture  of  an  interesting  subject,  that  dis- 
played his  abilities,  for  the  Archbishop  of  York,  he  shortly  after  became  honored  by 
the  notice  and  patronage  of  the  king,  (George  the  Third,)  who  beneficently  sustained  him 
in  his  practice  and  study  of  the  fine  arts  for  nearly  forty  years,  and  engaged  him  in  great 
plans,  from  the  subjects  of  English  history  and  the  sacred  writings,  for  the  embellishment 
of  Windsor  Castle.  Under  the  sanction  of  his  majesty,  he  became  one  of  the  original 
founders  of  the  Royal  Academy  in  London.  In  testimony,  also,  of  his  talent,  and  the 
esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  his  contemporaries  in  the  arts,  they  elected  him  twenty- 
seven  times  President  of  the  Academy  of  Painting,  Sculpture,  and  Architecture,  (of  which 
he  was  one  of  the  original  founders,)  and  as  a  further  sanction  of  the  abilities  he  possessed 
as  an  artist,  and  of  the  spreading  abroad  of  his  fame,  he  likewise  received  honorable  dis- 
tinctions from  most  of  the  academies  for  the  encouragement  and  promotion  of  the  fine  arts 
in  the  polished  countries  of  Europe.  Whenever  his  works  first  made  their  appearance 
before  the  public,  they  excited  a  very  strong  sensation  throughout  the  metropolis  ;  and  his 
three  latter  productions,  Christ  Healing  the  Sick  in  the  Temple,  (which  has  since  been  pre- 
sented by  Mr.  West  to  the  Hospital  of  Philadelphia,)  Christ  Rejected  by  the  Jews,  and  his 
daring  and  extraordinary  picture  of  Death  on  the  Pale  Horse,  produced  no  common  sensa- 
tion on  the  minds  of  the  people  of  England.  His  demise,  which  took  place  after  he  had 
passed  his  eighty-first  year,  was  considered  and  felt  as  a  public  loss,  for  the  circumstance 
of  his  latter  productions  appearing,  at  his  venerable  age,  amongst  the  most  vigorous  and 
sublime  of  his  works,  occasioned  a  very  remarkable  augmentation  to  his  fame  at  the  close  of 
his  life.  His  remains  were  honored  by  a  public  funeral,  and  were  interred  in  the  great 
Cathedral  of  St.  Paul's,  within  the  city  of  London,  where  all  the  members  of  the  Roy.il 
Academy,  many  of  the  nobility,  his  relatives  and  select  friends,  attended,  in  token  of  their 
high  estimation  of  his  genius,  and  in  respect  for  his  excellent  moral  character  and  amiable 
disposition  :  but  he  had  enemies,  who  occasioned  him  much  anxiety  and  difficulty  in  his 
latter  years. 

The  career  he  ran  in  the  art,  whilst  residing  in  London,  occupied  a  space  of  more  than 
half  a  century.  He  left  his  native  country  in  the  year  1760,  and  became  deceased,  in  the 
city  of  London,  on  the  loth  of  March,  1820.  The  number  of  the  works  that  he  has  left 
behind  him  is  indeed  truly  astonishing:  his  whole  life  was  one  scene  of  industry,  persever- 
ence,  and  endeavor  to  perfect  himself  in  the  art,  and  to  dispense  to  others,  (especially  to 


274  Appendix 

young  and  rising  artists,)  the  knowledge  that  he  had  thus  diligently  acquired.  It  is,  there- 
fore, very  generally  considered,  that,  so  long  as  science,  or  art,  or  virtue,  shall  exist,  the 
name  of  Benjamin  West  will  stand  pre-eminent  in  honorable  fame. 

After  giving  this  little  outline  of  the  life  of  Mr.  West,  his  sons  now  beg  of  you  to  offer, 
in  their  names,  to  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  that  portion  of  his  works  which 
has  devolved  to  them.  They  hope  that  the  offer  will  not  be  rejected,  devoutly  wishing  that 
the  name  of  their  father  may  thus  honorably  be  transmitted  to  the  posterity  of  the  country 
wherein  he  was  born,  and  that  the  portion  of  his  works,  which  they  now  offer,  may  form  the 
foundation  of  a  school  for  the  growth  of  the  fine  arts  in  the  rapidly  advancing  States  of 
America.  In  Europe,  almost  everywhere  is  to  be  seen  what  is  generally  denominated  a 
National  Gallery,  composed  of  pictures  and  statues  by  the  old  masters:  the  honor  of  having 
produced  them  belonging  to  Italy  and  Greece,  no  country  ever  yet  had  such  an  opportunity 
of  commencing  a  truly  National  Gallery  as  now  presents  itself  to  the  United  States  of  America; 
for  none  of  the  nations  of  the  old  world,  at  such  an  early  period  of  their  histories,  ever  bad 
an  artist  who  stood  so  distinguished  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  or  that  had  produced  so 
numerous  and  so  diversified  a  body  of  celebrated  works  as  Benjamin  West.  They  are  the 
productions  of  American  born  genius,  and  let  them  be  deposited  in  whatever  quarter  of  the 
globe  destiny  may  place  them,  the  honor  of  having  produced  them  belongs  to  the  Uulted 
States  of  America. 

Hoping  that,  from  your  situation  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  you  will  not  find  it 
at  variance  with  your  duty  and  opinions  to  speak  and  use  your  influence  in  recommencUtion 
of  our  offer, 

We  remain,  with  the  highest  consideration  and  respect, 

Your  obedient  servants, 

RAPHAEL  L.  WEST, 
BENJAMIN  WEST. 
NEWMAN  STREET,  LONDQN,  April  iztk,  1826. 


PORTRAITS   OF   LOUIS   XVI.    AND    MARIE   ANTOINETTE. 

The  minister  plenipotentiary  of  France,  having  on  the  6th  transmitted  to  Congress  a 
letter,  dated  I3th  August,  1783,  from  his  most  Christian  majesty,  in  answer  to  their  letter 
of  the  I4th  June,  1779,  and  accompanied  the  same  with  a  memorial  informing  Congress, 
that  the  portraits  of  the  king  and  queen  are  arrived  at  Philadelphia  ;  that  he  has  orders  to 
present  them  to  this  assembly,  and  has  taken  the  measures  necessary  for  their  safe  keeping 
until  Congress  shall  be  ready  to  receive  them  ;  the  said  letter  and  memorial  were  referred  to 
the  consideration  of  a  committee. 

On  the  report  of  a  committee,  consisting  of  Mr.  Gerry,  Mr.  Jefferson  and  Mr. 
Read,  .  .  . 

Resolved,  That  the  following  letter  be  signed  by  the  President  in  behalf  of  the  United 
States  in  Congress  assembled,  and  transmitted  to  his  most  Christian  majesty,  .  .  . 

GREAT,  FAITHFUL  AND  BELOVED  FRIEND  AND  ALLY, 

Your  majesty's  letter  of  the  I3th  of  August  last  has  been  received  by  the  United  States 
in  Congress  assembled  with  a  degree  of  satisfaction  and  pleasure  which  those  only  can  con- 
ceive, who,  to  the  highest  sentiments  of  respect,  unite  feelings  of  the  most  affectionate 
friendship. 

The  portraits  of  your  majesty  and  of  your  royal  consort  having  arrived  at  Philadelphia, 
have  bewn  carefully  preserved  by  your  faithful  minister,  the  chevalier  de  la  Luzerne,  whose 
attention  on  this,  as  on  all  other  occasions,  merits  the  acknowledgements  of  Congress. 

These  lively  representations  of  our  august  and  most  beloved  friends  will  be  placed  in 
our  council  chamber  ;  and  can  never  fail  of  exciting  in  the  mind  of  every  American,  an 
admiration  of  the  distinguished  virtues  and  accomplishments  of  the  royal  originals. 

We  beseech  the  Supreme  Ruler  of  the  Universe  constantly  to  keep  your  majesty  and 


Appendix  ?75 

your  royal  consort  in  his  holy  protection,  and  to  render  the  blessings  of  your  administration 
as  extensive  as  the  objects  of  your  majesty's  benevolent  principles. 

Done  at  Annapolis,  in  the  state  of  Maryland,  this  i6th  day  of  April,  1784,  by  the 
United  States  in  Congress  assembled. 

Your  faithful  friends  and  allies. 

Resolved,  That  the  President  inform  the  honourable  the  minister  of  France,  that  Con- 
gress have  a  due  sense  of  the  care  which  he  has  taken  for  preserving  the  portraits  ;  and  are 
desirous  they  may  continue  in  his  possession  until  proper  places  can  be  provided  for  them. 


REPORTS   OF   ARCHITECTS    UPON    THE    ACOUSTICS  OF  OLD    HALL  OF 

REPRESENTATIVES. 

Extract  from  Latrobe's  Report  of  March  23,  1808. 

Before  I  close  my  account  of  the  south  wing  of  the  Capitol,  I  most  respectfully  beg 
permission  to  notice  in  this  report  the  two  objections  to  the  Hall  of  Congress,  which  were 
discovered  immediately  on  the  opening  of  the  session — the  difficulty  of  hearing  and  speak- 
ing in  it,  and  the  unpleasant  effect  of  the  mode  adopted  to  warm  the  House  upon  the  air  of 
the  room. 

In  every  large  room  the  great  average  distance  of  the  speaker  from  the  hearer  is  a 
cause  of  difficulty  of  hearing  and  speaking  which  cannot  be  removed  ;  but  the  effect  of  this 
cause  bears  no  proportion  to  that  indistinctness  which  arises  from  the  innumerable  echoes  that 
are  reverberated  from  the  walls  and  arched  ceiling  of  such  a  room  as  the  Hall  of  Representa- 
tives. These  surfaces  give  back  to  the  ear  echoes,  not  only  of  the  voice  of  the  speaker,  at  a 
perceptible  distance  of  time  from  the  original  sound,  but  also  distinct  echoes  of  every  acci- 
dental noise  and  separate  conversation  in  the  House  and  lobbies,  and  renders  debate  very 
laborious  to  the  speaker  and  almost  useless  to  the  hearers.  This  defect  was  foreseen;  and, 
in  furnishing  the  House,  the  curtains  and  draperies  of  the  windows  were  made  as  ample  as 
propriety  would  admit  ;  draperies  were  hung  in  other  proper  situations,  and  a  large  cur- 
tain closed  the  opening  of  the  columns  behind  the  Speaker's  chair.  But  all  this  drapery 
bore  a  small  proportion  to  the  extent  of  uncovered  surface,  though  it  rendered  those  particu- 
lar situations  of  the  hearer,  thus  freed  from  echo,  superior  to  all  others. 

If  the  dimensions  of  a  room,  erected  for  the  purpose  of  debate,  were  so  moderate  that 
the  echoes  of  the  voice  of  the  speaker  could  reach  the  ear  of  the  hearer,  without  the  inter- 
vention of  a  perceptable  distance  of  time,  then  the  echo  would  strengthen  and  support  the 
voice;  and  we  find  that  this  is  actually  the  case  in  small  lecture-rooms,  expressly  constructed 
to  produce  innumerable  echoes.  But  there  is  a  circumstance  attending  halls  of  debate  which 
distinguishes  them  from  rooms  intended  for  the  lectures  of  one  speaker  ;  the  impossibility 
of  preserving  perfect  silence,  and  of  confining  persons  to  their  seats,  so  as  to  prevent  all 
sound  but  that  of  the  speaker's  voice  ;  for  it  is  evident  that  sounds  from  all  quarters  and  of 
all  kinds  will  be  re-echoed  with  perfect  impartiality. 

The  Hall  of  Representatives  is  one  hundred  and  ten  feet  long  from  east  to  west,  and 
fifty-five  feet  high  ;  therefore,  before  the  echo  of  a  sound,  issueing  from  the  center  of  the 
floor,  can  return  to  its  place,  it  must  travel  one  hundred  and  ten  feet,  a  distance  very  per- 
ceptible to  the  ear  in  the  return  of  echo.  The  distance  will  be  still  greater  if  the  speaker  be 
placed  at  a  distance  from  the  hearer.  And  as  the  walls,  in  their  various  breaks,  return  each 
a  separate  echo,  their  confusion  must  necessarily  render  it  almost  impossible  to  understand 
what  is  spoken. 

From  these  plain  facts  it  is  evident  that  the  walls  of  every  large  hall  of  debate  should 
be  covered  with  tapestry,  or  other  material  which  does  not  reverberate  sound.  On  refer- 
ence to  the  original  drawing  it  will  be  seen  that  this  was  intended,  but  neither  the  time  nor 
the  extent  of  the  appropriation  for  furniture,  which  proved  sufficient  for  the  indispensible 
articles  of  carpeting,  tables,  chairs,  desks,  and  curtains,  would  admit. 

.  .  .  it  was  proposed  to  suspend  curtains  between  the  columns  round  the  whole  in- 
ternal area  of  the  House,  and  others  behind  the  seats  of  the  galleries,  and  to  paint  the  ceiling 
in  flock.  The  proposal  was  approved,  and  has  been  executed,  as  far  as  it  could  be  done,  by 
banging  all  the  curtains ;  the  painting  of  the  ceiling  must  be  postponed  until  the  House 


276  Appendix 


rises.  The  fullest  success  attended  this  measure  ;  and,  although  the  echoes  of  the  ceiling 
produce  in  the  center  of  the  House  some  confusion  of  sound,  it  is  a  small  inconvenience, 
which  will  be  removed.  When  the  size  of  this  room  is  considered,  it  may  be  safely  asserted 
that  it  is  now  as  little  liable  to  objection  as  any  other  hall  of  debate  in  the  United  States  ; 
that  it  is  in  all  respects  superior  to  most  others,  and  that,  when  the  proposed  improvements, 
which  are  of  comparatively  small  import,  are  made,  it  will  be  second  to  none  in  every  legis- 
lative convenience. 


Extract  from  Latrobe's  Report  of  November  18,  1817. 

On  this  occasion  a  plan  was  submitted  to  and  approved  by  the  President  by  which  the 
inconveniences  experienced  in  the  former  House  were  endeavored  to  be  obviated,  and  the 
areas  both  of  the  House  and  gallery  considerably  enlarged. 


Extracts  from  the  Memorial  of  Charles  Bulfinch  to  the  House  of  Representatives. 
Referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Public  Buildings,  January  25,  1830. 

Upon  Congress  being  reinstated  at  the  Capitol,  in  1820,  it  was  found  that  a  difficulty 
existed  both  in  speaking  and  hearing,  in  the  Representatives'  Hall  ;  this  was  at  first  imputed 
to  the  resonannces  and  echoes  occasioned  by  the  unfurnished  state  of  the  Hall,  and  to  the 
freshness  and  dampness  of  the  new  work.  To  remedy  this  defect,  draperies  were  ordered 
to  be  suspended  in  front  of  the  galleries,  and  between  the  columns  of  the  Prostyle  of  the 
Logia  :  and  carpets  were  spread  in  the  galleries.  These  measures  produced  some  effect  in 
lessening  the  reverberations,  but  did  not  entirely  remedy  the  inconveniencies  complained  of. 
In  the  Session  of  1821,  a  large  Committee,  of  24  Members,  was  raised,  to  "  inquire  into  the 
practicability  of  making  such  alterations  in  the  present  structure  of  the  Hall  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  as  shall  better  adapt  it  to  the  purposes  of  a  deliberative  assembly."  This 
Committee  attended  to  the  subject  fully,  and  consulted  the  Architect  (and  such  scientific 
persons  whose  opinions  could  be  readily  obtained)  when  several  very  contradictory  theories 
and  projects  were  suggested.  The  Architect  had  the  honor  of  presenting  the  following 
Report : 

The  plan  of  the  Hall  under  consideration  was  chosen  by  the  distinguished  Artist  who 
commenced  the  restoration  of  the  Capitol,  from  the  most  approved  remains  of  Antiquity  ;  it 
was  taken,  apparently,  from  the  designs  of  the  Grecian  and  Roman  Theatres,  traces  of 
which  are  still  extant ;  and  no  form  could  be  devised  better  adapted  to  such  buildings  ;  the 
whole  audience  being  arranged  in  concentric  semi-circular  rows,  and  facing  the  Proscenium 
or  place  of  exhibition,  where  ail  that  was  spoken  was  delivered  from  the  stage  or  space  in 
front  of  the  semi-circle.  This  form  has  also  been  adopted  of  late  in  the  legislative  halls  at 
Paris  ;  but  it  is  not  found  altogether  convenient  for  a  deliberative  assembly,  where  the 
speakers  are  seated  indiscriminately,  and  frequently  with  a  large  portion  of  the  members  in 
their  rear  ;  in  consequence  of  which,  it  has  become  necessary  there,  to  select  particular  spots 
for  desks  or  tribunes,  as  stations  for  those  who  wish  to  address  the  assembly.  If  such  a 
measure  could  be  adopted  here,  it  would  in  a  great  degree  remove  the  present  complaint ;  as 
it  is  found,  when  religious  services  are  performed,  that  the  voice  of  the  preacher  is  well 
heard  in  every  part  of  the  hall,  assisted  as  he  is  by  the  silence  which  the  solemnity  of 
worship  enjoins,  but  which  is  too  much  interrupted  on  other  occasions. 

Several  suggestions  have  been  made  for  the  improvement  of  the  Hall  :  ist,  To  raise  the 
floor.  2d,  To  contract  the  space  by  a  partition  of  glass,  in  place  of  the  present  bar.  3d,  To 
form  a  level  ceiling  at  the  foot  of  the  dome,  resting  on  the  stone  entablatures,  over  the 
columns. 

I  cannot  think  that  any  great  advantage  could  be  derived  from  raising  the  floor,  because 
it  could  not  be  done,  more  than  three  feet,  without  disfiguring  the  columns  and  destroying 
all  the  beauty  of  their  proportions  ;  and  the  chief  difficulty  of  hearing  is  occasioned  by  the 
reverberation  and  confusion  of  sounds,  from  the  lofty  and  smooth  ceiling,  which  would  not 
be  affected  by  this  mode  of  alteration. 

The  second  proposal,  to  reduce  the  space  by  a  glass  partition,  is  also  objectionable,  asv 


Appendix  »77 

in  my  opinion,  it  would  produce  no  effect,  unless  carried  very  high  to  shut  out  the  galleries  ; 
which  the  habits  of  our  country  have  made  indispensable  ;  and  this  mode  would  not  remove 
the  difficulty  of  the  dome. 

The  third  proposal,  of  a  flat  ceiling,  affords  a  prospect  of  greater  advantage  than  any 
other.  It  would  reduce  the  absolute  height  of  the  room  in  the  centre,  upwards  of  twenty 
feet,  in  which  space  much  of  the  voice  is  lost ;  and  would  check,  in  a  great  measure,  and 
perhaps  wholly,  the  reverberation  and  echo  complained  of.  Although  it  would  be  a  subject 
of  much  regret,  that  the  beauty  of  the  form  and  decoration  of  the  dome  should  be  obscured, 
yet  these  considerations  must  yield  to  the  convenience  of  the  Legislative  body.  To  impair 
the  appearance  of  the  room  as  little  as  possible,  I  propose  that  this  ceiling  be  made  of  glass, 
and  present  a  drawing,  in  which  its  form  and  construction  are  shown  ;  the  panes  to  be  made 
as  large  as  convenient,  and  the  principal  ribs  to  be  gilded.  This  ceiling  would  be  preferable 
to  one  of  wood  or  plaster,  because,  in  that  case,  it  would  hide  entirely  the  present  dome, 
excepting  the  opening  of  the  sky-light,  which  must  be  retained,  but  which  would  lose  much  of 
its  usefulness  from  the  angle  in  which  the  light  would  be  received,  and  which  would  hardly 
reach  the  outer  rows  of  the  circle. 

I  submit  an  estimate  of  the  expense  of  a  glass  ceiling,  amounting  to  five  thousand 
dollars.  If  this  plan  is  adopted  by  the  honorable  House  of  Representatives,  the  work  could 
be  executed  in  the  recess. 

Experience,  I  think,  has  proved,  that  the  objections  to  the  present  Hall  are  not  so  for- 
cible as  they  were  last  season,  but  that  the  members  are  better  heard,  as  they  become  accus- 
tomed to  the  room,  and  to  the  pitch  of  voice  required  ;  yet,  if  it  should  be  considered  so 
inconvenient  that  the  necessity  of  improving  it  should  be  thought  indispensable,  and  would 
justify  the  expense,  I  would  recommend  that  the  glass  ceiling  be  built,  and  a  trial  made  of 
its  utility  at  the  next  session. 

Respectfully  presented  by 

CHARLES  BULFINCH. 

No  decisive  measures  were  taken  in  consequence  of  this  examination  and  report,  and 
the  evil  still  being  complained  of,  the  Committee  on  Public  Buildings  was  again  directed,  at 
the  following  session,  to  consider  the  subject  anew,  when  the  architect  presented  the  follow- 
ing report  to  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee  : 

Every  work  on  Natural  Philosophy,  in  general,  contains  observations  on  acoustics,  and 
endeavors  to  explain  the  principles  of  musical  instruments,  the  vibrations  of  strings,  and  the 
nature  and  cause  of  echoes  ;  but  these  principles  have  seldom  been  applied  for  useful  and 
practical  purposes,  to  the  construction  of  the  interior  of  large  rooms  for  deliberative  assem- 
blies. Places  of  public  worship  and  theatres  have  received  a  greater  share  of  attention,  and 
the  result  of  experience  on  such  apartments,  has  been  to  avoid  lofty  domes,  and  arched 
ceilings  of  great  elevation.  The  manner  in  which  sound  operates  on  the  air,  has  been  the 
subject  of  much  inquiry  ;  the  theory  generally  adopted,  supposes  that  sound  is  projected  in 
direct  lines,  and  that  it  is  governed  by  the  same  principles  as  rays  of  light ;  and  that  it  is 
reflected  from  the  substances  which  it  encounters,  in  angles,  equal  to  the  angles  of  incidence. 
Another  theory  supposes  that  sound  is  propagated  by  an  undulatory  motion  of  the  air,  and 
that  resonnances  and  echoes  are  produced  by  the  sound  being  conducted  along  the  surface 
of  intervening  walls  or  other  bodies. 

The  most  judicious  and  practical  writer  on  this  subject  that  I  have  had  the  opportunity 
to  consult,  is  Saunders,  on  the  construction  of  Theatres.  I  beg  permission  to  quote  from 
him  a  few  observations.  "  The  supposition  of  sound  being  reflected  on  the  same  principles 
as  light,  has  been  very  generally  admitted,  and  in  order  to  support  this  theory,  it  is  asserted 
that  sound  is  propagated  in  direct  rays.  Accordingly,  Kircher,  and  most  of  those  who 
follow  him,  after  explaining  the  progress  of  sound  to  be  undulative,  go  on  comparing  its 
properties  with  those  of  light ;  which  is  clearly  refuted  by  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  who  says,  '  a 
pressure  on  a  fluid  medium  cannot  be  propagated  in  right  lines,  but  will  be  always  inflecting 
and  diffusing  itself  every  way,  beyond  any  obstacle  that  may  be  presented  to  it.  Sounds  are 
propagated  with  equal  ease,  through  crooked  tubes,  and  through  straight  lines  ;  but  light 
was  never  known  to  move  in  any  curve,  nor  to  inflect  itself.'  The  French  Encyclopedists, 
who  adopt  the  theory  of  the  reflection  of  sound,  are  obliged  to  quality  it  by  acknowledging 


•78  Appendix 

that  the  theory  is  still  vague  and  uncertain,  and  that  the  comparison  of  the  laws  of  the  reflec- 
tion of  sound  with  that  of  light,  may  be  true  to  a  certain  point,  but  it  is  not  without  restric- 
tions, because  sound  is  propagated  in  every  direction,  and  light  in  right  lines  only." 

Mr.  Saunders,  after  a  course  of  experiments,  comes  to  this  conclusion,  that  sound  is 
affected  by  vibration  among  the  particles  of  air,  and  moves  in  a  circular  undulating  form. 
That  echo  is  produced  by  conduction,  and  not  by  reflection,  as  heretofore  imagined.  It 
depends  on  the  conductor,  and  the  nature  and  form  of  the  substance  it  meets  with.  He 
asserts  that,  after  a  smooth  surface  of  water,  stone  is  the  most  powerful  conducter  of  sound  ; 
experience  proves  that  smooth  walls  of  plaster  are  next  in  order,  then  surfaces  of  woods,  and 
lastly,  hangings  of  tapestry  or  woollen  cloth. 

These  observations  and  results  are  important,  when  applied  to  the  Hall  of  the  House  of 
Representatives.  The  difficulty  of  hearing  and  speaking  arises,  in  the  first  place,  from  the 
great  size  of  the  room  ;  and  is  an  evil  which  must  always  be  apprehended  in  any  room  con- 
structed to  afford  such  ample  conveniences  for  so  numerous  a  body,  unless  the  speakers  will 
consent  to  mount  a  tribune,  situated  in  the  most  favorable  position  :  and  in  the  second  place, 
from  the  resonnances  or  echoes,  occasioned  by  the  dome  of  60  feet  elevation  from  the  floor. 
If  these  echoes  could  be  checked,  the  difficulty  of  speaking  and  hearing  would  be,  in  a  great 
measure,  removed.  For  this  purpose,  I  ventured  to  propose,  in  1821,  a  horizontal  ceiling  of 
glass  ;  but  this  is  liable  to  objections,  from  the  great  difficulty  of  keeping  so  large  a  surface 
clean,  and  from  the  bad  effect  to  be  apprehended  on  the  air  of  the  room,  from  reducing  it 
so  much  in  its  dimensions. 

Private  individuals  have  no  motive  for  making  experiments  on  the  principles  of  the 
expansion  of  sound,  and  companies  of  proprietors  of  buildings  are  deterred  from  doing  it, 
by  the  uncertainty  of  the  effect,  and  by  the  expense.  An  opportunity  is  at  present  offered 
to  Congress,  to  authorize  some  experiments  during  the  recess,  which  may  be  of  good  con- 
sequences, and  would,  at  least,  extend  a  knowledge  of  the  true  principles  which  govern  the 
operations  of  sound.  With  this  view,  I  take  the  liberty  to  mention  the  following  : 

The  Grecian  and  Roman  Theatres  were  constructed  without  roofs,  and  were  entirely 
open  above  ;  but  it  was  usual  to  stretch  a  covering  of  sail  cloth  over  the  circular  seats,  to 
protect  the  audience  from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather.  I  would  take  a  hint  from  this 
practice,  and  propose,  that  cords  should  be  strained,  at  the  springing  of  the  dome,  to  support 
a  ceiling  of  light  woollen  cloth  or  flannel,  projecting  ten  feet  from  the  columns,  within  the 
semicircle.  If  the  theory  of  conduction  of  sound  be  correct,  this  horizontal  projection  will 
prevent  it  reaching  the  dome,  to  occasion  the  echoes  complained  of.  The  experiment  might 
be  tried  at  moderate  expense,  and,  if  found  effectual,  the  ceiling  might  be  finished  after- 
wards, in  a  more  permanent  manner. 

Respectfully  submitted 

CHARLES  BULFINCH. 
March  lit  A,  1822. 

In  consequence  of  this  last  suggestion,  orders  were  given  to  stretch  a  covering  of 
canvass  over  the  -whole  Hall ;  which  was  done,  as  speedily  as  possible,  at  the  height  of 
the  blocking  course  above  the  columns.  This  ceiling,  composed  of  an  unelastic  substance, 
checked  the  reverberation  but  too  fully  ;  it  not  only  put  a  stop  to  the  echoes,  but  seemed  to 
absorb  the  volume  of  sound;  and  rendering  the  Hall  dark,  by  obstructing  the  sky  light,  it 
was  removed  after  a  few  days. 

Another  experiment  was  tried,  at  a  following  session,  of  reducing  the  dimensions  of  the 
Hall,  by  framing  a  wooden  partition  between  the  columns  of  the  prostyle  ;  but  no  good 
effects  were  experienced  from  this  measure,  to  counterbalance  the  inconvenience  from  the 
loss  of  space  and  light,  and  the  partition  was  removed  after  one  week's  trial. 

No  other  attempt  was  made  to  remedy  the  evil  complained  of,  until  May  19,  1826; 
when  the  House  resolved,  "  That  the  Clerk  of  this  House  be  authorized  to  employ  William 
Strickland,  of  Philadelphia,  to  act  in  conjunction  with  the  architect  now  employed  in 
completing  the  Capitol,  in  devising  a  plan  for  improving  the  Hall,  so  far  as  to  render  it 
better  suited  to  the  purposes  of  a  deliberative  assembly  :  That  the  Secretary  of  State,  the 
Secretary  of  War,  and  the  Attorney  General,  be  requested  to  act  as  a  Board  of  Inspection, 
on  the  aforesaid  contemplated  improvement,  during  the  recess  of  Congress;  and  that,  if  the 
said  architects  can  devise  any  plan  for  accomplishing  the  object,  that  shall  receive  the 


Appendix  a?9 

sanction  of  the  Board  aforesaid,  they  be  authorized  to  execute  the  same,  under  the  direction 
of  the  said  Board.     Resolved,  That  the  expense  be  defrayed  out  of  the  contingent  fund." 

In  pursuance  of  this  resolution,  Mr.  Strickland  was  invited  to  make  the  examination 
desired,  and  attended  to  this  service  in  the  Summer  of  1826,  after  which  the  following  state- 
ments were  presented  to  the  House  in  February,  1827. 

*  *  *  * 

The  undersigned,  constituting  the  Board  of  Inspection  appointed  by  the  said  resolution, 
have  the  honor  to  report:  That,  shortly  after  the  termination  of  the  last  session  of  Congress, 
the  Clerk  of  the  House  communicated  to  Mr.  William  Strickland  the  substance  of  the  reso- 
lution, and  requested  his  attendance  at  Washington,  to  co-operate  in  the  accomplishment 
of  its  object:  that  it  was  not  convenient  to  Mr.  Strickland  to  attend  until  some  time  in  July, 
when,  in  the  absence  of  the  undersigned  and  the  Clerk,  he  visited  the  city,  and  examined 
the  Hall  of  the  House,  in  company  with  Mr.  Bulfinch:  That  the  Clerk,  on  the  28th  August 
last,  addressed  a  letter  to  Mr.  Strickland,  (of  which  a  copy  accompanies  the  report,  marked 
A,)  to  which  he  received  an  answer,  under  date  of  the  1 2th  September  last,  of  which  the 
paper  marked  B,  is  a  copy  :  That  the  undersigned  being  desirous  to  be  present  in  the  Hall 
with  Messrs.  Strickland  and  Bulfinch,  when  they  examined  it,  requested  the  Clerk  to  ask 
the  attendance  of  the  former  again  at  Washington,  and  accordingly,  he  came  here  in 
October  last,  as  early  as  he  could  consistently  with  other  engagements  :  That  the  under- 
signed were  present  when  those  gentlemen  inspected  the  Hall,  and  discussed  various  plans 
of  improvement  which  were  suggested:  that  Mr.  Strickland's  opinion  as  to  the  most  effectual 
improvement  will  be  seen  in  his  report  to  the  Board,  under  date  the  3ist  of  October  last, 
hereto  annexed,  marked  C,  and  that  of  Mr.  Bulfinch  in  his  report,  under  date  the  1st 
November  last,  also  hereto  annexed,  marked  D  :  That,  from  the  perusal  of  those  reports  it 
will  appear  that  both  the  architects  concur  in  opinion,  that  the  only  effectual  remedies  of  the 
defects  complained  of  in  the  Hall,  are,  ist,  to  suspend  a  flat  ceiling  of  lath  and  plaster  over 
the  whole  arena  of  the  I  lall  within  the  colums,  and  upon  a  level  with  the  stone  cornice  or 
springing  line  of  the  same;  or,  2dly,  To  break  up  the  existing  smooth  surface  of  the  dome, 
by  deeply  sunk  caissons,  in  the  manner  of  the  ceiling  of  the  Senate  Chamber  and  the 
Rotundo.  Both  the  architects  agree  that  the  first  mentioned  plan  would  materially  impair 
the  symmetry  and  proportions  of  the  Hall,  and  Mr.  Bulfinch  thinks  it  might  injuriously 
diminish  the  cubic  volume  of  air  in  the  Hall. 

That  it  became  altogether  unnecessary  for  the  undersigned  to  give  their  sanction  to 
either  of  the  two  suggested  plans,  because  the  vacation  between  the  last  and  the  present  ses- 
sion of  the  House  was  too  short  to  admit  of  the  execution  of  either,  so  as  to  have  the  Hall 
prepared  in  time  for  the  accommodation  of  the  House  :  that  the  long  vacation  which  will 
ensue,  after  the  termination  of  the  present  session  of  Congress,  will  be  sufficient  to  allow  of 
the  execution  of  either  of  them  to  which  the  House  may  think  proper  to  give  its  sanction. 

That  the  undersigned  suggested  to  the  architects  the  propriety  of  testing  the  efficacy  of 
the  suspended  ceiling,  by  stretching  a  covering  of  silk  over  the  space  which  it  was  intended 
to  occupy;  but  it  was  stated  that  the  absorbent  qualities  of  that,  or  of  any  cloth,  are  such  as 
would  prevent  its  being  a  fair  experiment  ;  and  that  it  was  also  mentioned,  that,  in  the  year 
1814,  such  a  test,  (though  not  with  silken  cloth)  was  applied,  and  that  the  inconveniences 
which  it  occasioned  induced  the  House  quickly  to  direct  its  removal. 

All  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

H.  CLAY, 
JAMES  BARBOUR, 

\\M.    WlRT. 

WASHINGTON,  BtA  February \  1827. 

A. 

WASHINGTON,  28M  August,  1826. 
WM.  STRICKLAND  Esq. 

PUladtlpki*. 

Sir :  I  was  disappointed  in  not  finding  you  in  Washington  when  I  arrived,  on  the  3d 
July,  having  heard,  in  Carlisle,  of  your  intended  visit  to  Washington.  From  the  conversation 
I  have  had  with  Mr.  Bulfinch,  I  am  led  to  believe,  that  you  think  that  no  alteration  can  be 


280  Appendix 

made  in  the  Hall,  which  would  be  beneficial,  except  a  flat  ceiling  of  plaster.  I  write  now,  to 
ascertain  whether  you  have  made  up  your  mind  definitively;  or,  if  you  could  not  come  down 
again  to  Washington,  immediately  after  the  6th  September,  as  Mr.  Clay  will  then  be  at 
home.  I  wish  you,  very  much,  to  see  the  Committee,  as  several  expedients  have  been 
suggested;  such  as  a  flat,  plastered  ceiling;  a  glass  ceiling;  a  glass  cover,  at  the  height  of 
say  thirty  feet,  supported  by  brass  pillars,  and  rather  concave,  (taking  down  the  galleries, 
and  having  the  auditory  on  a  level  with  the  Hall,)  raising  the  floor  to  the  level  of  the  walk 
behind  the  speaker's  chair,  making  it  either  level,  or  rising,  in  the  usual  form,  from  front  to 
rear. 

Of  all  these  different  suggestions,  I  am  certain,  the  Committee  would  be  pleased  to 
have  your  opinion,  and  would  rather  converse  and  explain,  than  write. 

Please  to  inform  me  how  soon  you  could  come  down. 

Yours,  most  respectfully, 

M.  ST.  CLAIR  CLARKE, 

Clerk  Ho.  of  Reps.  U.  S. 

B. 

PHILADELPHIA,  Sept.  izth,  1826. 
MATTHEW  ST.  CLAIR  CLARKE,  Esq. 

Washington. 

Sir:  It  will  be  out  of  my  power  to  visit  Washington  during  the  present  month.  When 
I  examined  the  Hall  of  Representatives,  in  July  last,  I  came  to  the  conclusion,  that  no 
alteration  could  be  effectively  made  to  correct  the  reverberation  of  the  voice  in  that  room, 
except  by  the  removal  of  the  dome.  This  may  be  properly  done,  by  the  construction  of  a 
flat  ceiling,  of  lath  and  plaster,  over  the  whole  area,  upon  a  level  with  the  cornice  of  the 
room.  For  the  sake  of  light,  the  glass  lantern  should  be  continued  to  the  ceiling,  and  be 
made  to  occupy  a  much  larger  diameter  than  it  now  does.  I  am  aware,  however,  that  this 
plan  would  affect  the  proportions  of  the  room;  but  these  may  be  retained,  in  a  great  degree," 
by  any  skilful  artist,  who  could,  by  painting  the  flat  ceiling,  represent  a  dome,  nearly  as 
perfect  as  the  real  one. 

The  expedients  you  mention,  as  having  been  suggested,  are  all  objectionable,  and  would 
have  but  a  very  partial  effect,  in  removing  the  great  cause  of  the  resonnance.  The  glass 
cover  would  be  difficult  and  expensive  to  construct,  and,  when  done,  would  form  a  very  un- 
sightly object:  To  the  eye,  the  glass  and  its  supports  would  distort  the  compartments  of  the 
dome,  and  produce  a  very  disagreeable  effect.  In  a  few  years  it  would  become  opake,  and 
completely  coated  with  dust. 

To  take  down  the  galleries,  and  have  the  auditory  on  a  level  with  the  floor  of  the  Hall, 
would  have  the  effect  of  increasing  the  difficulty  of  hearing,  by  opening  a  greater  space 
through  which  the  voice  would  be  spent  and  broken,  by  the  intervention  of  the  semicircular 
screen  of  columns,  which  support  the  dome. 

To  raise  the  floor  to  the  level  of  the  logia  behind  the  Speaker's  chair,  would  be,  in 
fact,  simply  equivalent  to  lowering  the  ceiling  a  few  feet,  which  would  only  serve  to  make 
the  echo,  or  return  of  the  voice,  more  sudden  upon  the  speaker  or  hearer.  While  the  great 
cause  of  the  reverberation  exists,  viz:  the  dome,  nothing  short  of  its  removal  can  be  relied 
on,  as  a  corrective  to  the  present  difficulty  of  speaking  and  being  heard. 

Yours,  very  respectfully, 

WILLIAM  STRICKLAND, 
Architect  and  Engineer. 

C. 

The  Hon.  HENRY  CLAY, 

Chairman  of  the  Committee  to  whom  was  referred 

the  alteration  of  the  Hall  of  Representatives. 

Sir  :  Without  attempting  to  trouble  you  with  a  general  application  of  the  laws  or  doc- 
trines of  sound  to  the  various  forms  of  rooms,  or  particularly  to  the  one  under  consideration, 
I  will  simply  state  my  opinion  of  the  cause  of  echo  in  the  Hall,  to  be  principally  owing  to 


Appendix  281 

the  reflection  of  the  voice  from  so  large  a  portion  of  unbroken  spherical  surface  contained 
in  the  ceiling  of  the  dome.  The  effect  has  been  invariably  observed  in  all  circular  rooms 
having  vaulted  ceilings;  and  were  the  side  walls  of  the  Hall  formed  with  a  plain  circular 
surface,  like  the  ceiling,  and  not  intercepted  by  the  present  screen  of  columns,  the  reverbera- 
tion would  be  proportionably  increased. 

The  remedy  which,  in  my  opinion,  can  be  successfully  resorted  to  in  this  instance,  is, 
to  break  up  the  plain  surface  of  the  dome  by  the  introduction  of  numerous  deeply  sunken 
pannels  bound  by  raised  stiles  or  margins.  A  practical  illustration  of  the  efficacy  of  this 
method,  in  preventing  the  echo  of  sounds,  may  be  witnessed  at  any  time  in  the  Senate 
Chamber,  a  room  which  nearly  corresponds  in  plan  with  the  Hall  of  Representatives,  except 
in  the  painted pannels  of  the  dome,  which  in  that  of  the  Senate  Chamber  are  real  and  pro- 
fuse. 

One  other,  and  a  more  effectual  plan,  may  be  had  by  the  suspension  of  a  flat  ceiling 
of  lath  and  plaster  over  the  whole  arena  of  the  Hall  within  the  columns,  and  upon  a  level 
with  the  stone  cornice,  or  springing  line  of  the  dome  ;  but  I  hesitate  in  recommending  its 
adoption,  convinced  as  I  am  that  the  construction  of  a  level  ceiling  would  materially  injure 
the  symmetry  and  proportions  of  the  room,  and  that  no  single  item  of  supportable  incon- 
venience should  be  redressed  in  this  manner,  by  the  expense  of  so  much  architectural 
harmony  and  beauty. 

I  would,  however,  beg  leave,  Sir,  to  suggest  to  you  the  propriety  of  trying  the  effect  of 
opening  the  dome  by  a  series  of  large  pannels,  with  small,  but  proportionably  raised  margins 
or  stiles,  as  the  only  resource  left  to  render  the  room  suitable  for  the  purposes  of  legislation, 
without  injury  to  its  well  proportioned  features. 

Very  respectfully  submitted  by  your  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM  STRICKLAND. 

WASHINGTON,  October  31,  1826. 

D. 

To  the  Honorable  the  Secretary  of  State,  Secretary  of  War,  and  Attorney  General : 

The  subscriber,  present  Architect  of  the  Capitol  of  the  United  States,  respectfully 
presents  the  following  report : 

Mr.  Strickland  visited  the  city  on  the  ist  of  July  last,  when,  in  company  with  the 
subscriber,  he  examined  the  plan  and  construction  of  the  Hall,  when  the  difficulties  that 
had  been  complained  of  were  pointed  out  to  him.  Not  being  able  to  remain  in  the  city 
longer  than  one  day  at  that  time,  Mr.  Strickland  promised  to  take  the  subject  into  consid- 
eration, and  to  communicate  the  result,  which  he  did  in  his  letter  of  September  the  I2th.  He 
also,  on  a  repetition  of  the  invitation,  again  visited  the  city  on  the  2ist  October.  At  this 
time,  the  subscriber  laid  before  Mr.  Strickland  the  original  plans  and  sections  of  the  Hall, 
with  copies  of  all  the  investigations  of  the  various  committees  who,  in  different  years,  had 
been  appointed  to  consider  the  subject,  and  the  several  reports  of  the  Architect  made  to 
such  committees,  containing  suggestions  of  alterations,  and  reasonings  thereon;  also  various 
papers  from  other  scientific  men,  whom  the  committees  had  been  able  to  consult.  Mr. 
Strickland  remained  several  days,  and  examined  all  these  papers  fully,*  and  formed  a  report 
of  his  opinion,  as  given  in  his  letter  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  State.  In  this  report 
Mr.  Strickland  agrees  with  the  report  of  the  Architect,  made  in  1822,  that  the  only  effectual 
remedy  against  the  reverberation  of  sounds  would  be  a  flat  ceiling  ;  he  expresses  his  prefer- 
ence that  it  should  be  made  solid  and  permanent,  with  painted  or  stucco  ornaments  ;  but, 
as  such  a  ceiling  would  reduce,  perhaps  injuriously,  the  cubic  volume  of  air  in  the  room, 
and  impair  the  beauty  of  its  form  and  proportion,  he  suggests  the  breaking  of  the  present 
smooth  painted  surface  of  the  dome  into  deeply  sunk  caissons,  in  the  manner  of  the  ceiling 
of  the  Senate  Chamber  and  of  the  Rotundo.  In  addition  to  this  report,  it  was  agreed  that 
it  would  be  of  advantage  to  fill  solidly  unde"r  the  floor  of  the  cjrcular  space  outside  of  the 
bar  of  the  Hall. 

The  proposals  fully  agree  with  the  opinion  of  the  Architect,  as  expressed  in  former 
reports.  Any  thing  would  be  of  use  that  would  check  the  tendency  of  the  smooth  surface 

*  Particularly  the  communication  of.  Mr.  Mills,  with  his  reasoning  on  the  subject,  and  diagrams  of 
proposed  alterations. 


282  Appendix 

of  the  dome  to  return  sounds,  either  by  reflecting  or  conducting  them  too  suddenly,  and 
thereby  prevent  the  present  resonnances.  In  this  way  a  beneficial  effect  may  be  expected 
from  sinking  deep  coffers  or  caissons  ;  but  it  is  much  to  be  feared  that  it  would  not  be  so 
material  an  assistance  as  to  afford  a  complete  remedy  of  the  difficulty  of  hearing  and 
speaking. 

Respectfully  presented,  by  your  obedient  servant, 

CHARLES  BULFINCH. 
WASHINGTON,  Nov.  i,  1826. 

This  report  of  Mr.  Strickland,  seemed  to  put  the  subject  at  rest :  for  no  further  notice 
was  taken  of  it,  until  late  in  the  long  session  of  1828;  when,  from  the  warmth  of  the  season, 
complaints  were  made  of  the  want  of  ventilation  in  the  Hall,  and  this,  with  the  former 
difficulty  of  hearing,  caused  a  short  debate;  but  no  order  was  taken  thereon.  The  architect, 
however,  conceiving  it  to  be  his  duty  to  meet  every  suggestion  for  the  improvement  of  the 
building  under  his  care,  applied  himself,  in  the  recess,  to  prepare  drawings,  which  he  laid 
before  the  Committee,  in  1829;  but  they  did  not  think  proper  to  make  any  report  thereon 
to  the  House. 

These  drawings  make  part  of  the  present  communication.  By  this  design,  it  is  pro- 
posed to  bring  the  galleries  down  nearly  to  the  floor  of  the  Hall,  of  the  extent  of  four 
intercolumniations  on  the  East  and  West;  by  which  means,  two  large  windows  on  each  side 
would  be  opened  to  view,  and  would  afford  a  more  equal  diffusion  of  light,  and  secure  com- 
plete ventilation.  Should  this  plan  be  adopted,  the  objection  to  removing  the  dome  would 
lose  its  force,  on  the  score  of  reducing  the  cubic  volume  of  air,  and  a  flat  ceiling  might  be 
substituted.  I  present  two  drawings  of  ceilings,  one  of  glass,  and  another  composed  of 
glass  and  plaster  ;  should  either  of  them  be  approved  by  the  Committee,  estimates  can  be 
furnished  of  the  expense,  previous  to  presenting  the  report  to  the  House.  The  whole 
alteration  of  both  the  galleries  and  ceiling,  might  be  made  during  the  recess  of  Congress. 


Report  of  the  Select  Committee  by  Mr.  Jarvis  to  the  House,  June  30,  1832. 

That  they  have  had  the  subject  under  consideration,  and  have  agreed  to  recommend  the 
following  alterations : 

ist.  The  floor  to  be  raised  to  the  level  of  the  foot  of  the  columns  which  surround  the 
Hall. 

2d.  The  chair  of  the  Speaker  to  be  placed  near  where  the  principal  entrance  now  is, 
and  the  seats  of  the  members  to  be  turned  so  as  to  preserve  their  relative  position  to  the 
chair. 

3d.     A  circular  wall  to  be  built  back  of  the  third  seat  in  the  gallery. 

The  committee  offer,  as  a  part  of  their  report,  a  communication  to  the  Committee  on 
Public  Buildings,  from  Robert  Mills,  an  ingenious  architect  now  in  this  city  ;  and  refer  to  it 
for  the  reasons  of  the  alterations  recommended,  as  well  as  for  an  explanation  of  the  details 
of  these  and  of  other  minor  alterations  therein  proposed  ;  and,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying 
the  same  into  effect,  they  offer  the  following  resolution  : 

Resolved,  That  the  Commissioner  on  Public  Buildings  cause  the  Hall  of  Representa- 
tives to  be  altered  during  the  recess  of  Congress,  according  to  the  plan  of  Robert  Mills  here- 
with submitted,  and  under  the  superintendence  of  said  Mills  ;  and  that  the  expense  be  paid 
out  of  the  contingent  fund  of  the  House. 

CITY  OF  WASHINGTON,  February  4,  1832. 

Gentlemen  :  The  present  plan  of  the  Hall  is  manifestly  defective  as  a  hearing  and 
speaking  room  for  forensic  or  popular  debate.  The  defect  was  discovered  at  an  early  day 
after  its  occupancy,  and,  with  a  view  to  remedying  it,  the  draperies  suspended  between  the 
columns  (which  now  decorate  the  room)  were  introduced.  These  curtains  had  some  effect 
in  lessening  the  reverberations  of  sound,  but  the  inconvenience  complained  of  still  existed. 

In  the  session  of  1821,  so  important  was  the  subject  considered,  that  a  committee  of  24 
members  was  appointed  to  "  inquire  into  the  practicability  of  making  such  alterations  in 
the  present  structure  of  the  Hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives  as  shall  better  adapt  it  to 


Appendix  283 

the  purposes  of  a  deliberative  assembly."  The  result  of  the  investigation  of  this  committee 
is  contained  in  a  report  submitted  by  the  architect  of  the  Capitol,  Mr.  Bulfinch,  who  recom- 
mended the  suspension  of  a  glass  ceiling  at  the  foot  of  the  dome  ;  but  nothing  was  done 
towards  testing  the  merits  of  this  plan  ;  and  the  evil  still  being  complained  of  at  the  follow- 
ing session,  the  Committee  on  the  Public  Buildings  was  instructed  to  investigate  the  subject 
anew,  when  the  architect  again  reported  his  views  :  and,  at  his  suggestion,  a  cloth  covering 
was  stretched  across  the  Hall  at  the  foot  of  the  dome.  The  effect  of  this  covering  was  not 
only  to  check  completely  the  reflections  or  echoes  from  the  ceiling,  but  to  darken  the  Hall 
so  seriously  as  to  induce  its  immediate  removal. 

Another  experiment  was  tried  at  the  following  session,  which  went  to  reduce  the  dimen- 
sions of  the  Hall.  A  partition  was  made  between  the  columns,  back  of  the  Speaker's  chair, 
so  as  to  exclude  the  prostyle,  but  no  good  effect  was  experienced  from  this  measure,  "and 
the  partition  was  removed  after  a  week's  trial." 

In  1826,  the  subject  of  grievance  in  the  Hall  was  renewed,  and  "  the  Secretaries  of 
State  and  IVar,  and  Attorney  General"  were  requested  to  act  as  a  board  of  inspection  on 
the  contemplated  improvement  during  the  recess  of  Congress  ;  and  should  any  plan  be 
approved,  that  the  same  should  be  carried  into  execution.  A  professional  gentleman  of 
Philadelphia  (Mr.  Strickland,)  was  called  in  to  the  aid  of  the  architect  of  the  Capitol,  to 
devise  plans  of  improvement,  who,  after  a  consultation,  recommended  "  the  suspension  of  a 
flat  ceiling  of  lath  and  plaster  over  the  whole  area  of  the  Hall,  within  the  columns,  and 
upon  a  level  with  the  stone  cornice."  Nothing,  however,  was  done  towards  carrying  this  plan 
into  execution,  and  it  was  not  until  1828  that  the  subject  was  again  agitated  ;  but  no  satis- 
factory solution  of  the  difficulty  in  question  being  given  to  warrant  the  committee  to  recom- 
mend the  construction  of  a  flat  ceiling,  and  thereby  destroy  the  beauty  of  the  Hall,  no  report 
was  made  to  the  House. 

Passing  through  Washington  in  1821,  I  was  requested  by  the  architect  of  the  Capitol, 
and  subsequently  (1827)  by  the  Secretary  of  State,  to  give  an  opinion  on  the  causes  of  the 
difficulty  of  hearing  in  the  Hall,  and  the  means  of  remedying  the  defect.  On  these  requisi- 
tions, I  submitted  two  papers  on  the  subject  to  these  gentlemen,  wherein  was  discussed  the 
theory  of  acoustics,  (as  regards  the  laws  of  sound)  and  the  application  of  its  principles  to 
the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  Hall  of  Representatives  :  explanatory  diagrams  accom- 
panied these  papers,  showing  the  design  of  the  room,  and  the  practical  effect  of  two  modifi- 
cations of  plan.  These  papers  were  referred  to  by  the  architect  of  the  Capitol  in  his  last 
report  ;  but,  laying  down  a  theory  totally  at  variance  with  that  he  had  assumed  as  the  correct 
one,  they  were  never  brought  forward. 

On  a  visit  which  I  made  the  Seat  of  Government  in  1830,  I  took  the  liberty  of  calling 
the  attention  of  the  House  to  the  substance  of  my  communication  to  the  Secretary  of  State 
in  1827,  which  was  referred  to  a  committee;  who,  after  investigating  the  plan  submitted, 
made  a  favorable  report  to  the  House.  With  a  view,  in  part,  to  test  the  correctness  of  the 
principle  upon  which  the  proposed  improvements  were  based,  a  temporary  partition  was 
directed  to  be  constructed  in  the  gallery,  so  as  to  form  an  unbroken  line  of  wall  behind  the 
columns  and  parallel  therewith.  A  very  sensible  difference,  both  in  hearing  and  speaking, 
was  experienced  by  the  members  and  audience  from  the  execution  of  this  part  of  the  plan, 
though  of  a  temporary  character.  Another  essential  part  of  the  design  could  not  be  tested 
during  the  sitting  of  the  House,  namely,  raising  the  floor,  but  the  committee  was  satisfied 
that  it  would  be  effective  in  its  operations  to  answer  the  object  in  question.  The  House  not 
making  any  appropriation  for  carrying  the  plan  reported  by  the  committee  into  execution, 
the  partition  which  had  been  put  up,  was  taken  down  in  the  recess,  and  the  Hall  restored  to 
its  original  state  as  it  now  stands.  This  circumstance  will  enable  those  who  were  members 
of  the  House  in  the  last  Congress  to  judge  of  the  difference  in  effect  between  the  two  modi- 
fications of  plan. 

Every  day's  experience  satisfies  me  of  the  correctness  of  that  theory  I  have  advocated 
associated  with  the  conveyance  of  sound,  and  upon  which  I  have  based  all  my  plans  of 
rooms  intended  for  the  accommodation  of  deliberative  bodies.  The  opportunities  which  I 
have  had  of  testing  the  principles  of  this  theory  by  actual  practice,  in  the  construction  of 
several  rooms  of  large  dimensions,  (one  of  which  is  greater  in  area  than  the  Hall  of  Repre- 
sentatives,) enables  me  to  speak  with  confidence  on  this  subject  ;  and  I  therefore  do  not 
hesitate  in  saying  that  it  is  practicable  to  give  to  the  present  Hall  all  the  advantages  in  hear- 
ing  and  speaking  of  which  it  is  susceptible. 


384  .     Appendix 

The  plan  of  the  Hall  of  Representatives  was  adopted  as  the  best  form  of  room  to  answer 
the  demands  of  a  deliberative  assembly.  This  form  was  selected  by  the  French  Government 
for  its  Chamber  of  Deputies  on  the  recommendation  of  the  most  eminent  architects  of  France. 
The  theatres  both  of  Greece  and  Rome  were  all  on  the  semi-circular  plan  ;  and,  in  the  con- 
struction of  our  modern  theatres,  the  same  form  is  adopted.  In  the  execution  of  the  plan  of 
the  Hall  of  Representatives  some  radical  errors  were  committed,  which  have  almost  defeated 
the  object  of  its  design.  The  first  error  was  the  breaking  of  the  circular  line  of  -wall  by 
running  the  colonnade  above,  and  in  addition  to  this,  breaking  the  circular  line  of  -wall 
back  of  these  columns  into  irregular  surfaces.  The  second  error  consisted  in  sinking  the 
floor  or  raising  the  dome  beyond  their  proper  relative  position  to  each  other.  The  third  error 
lies  in  the  location  of  the  Speaker  s  chair,  and,  consequently,  the  seats  of  the  members. 

To  remedy  theyfrj/  error,  I  have  proposed  to  construct  a  wall  behind  the  third  seal  in 
the  galleries,  so  as  to  keep  up  the  circular  line  complete  and  parallel  to  that  of  the  columns. 

By  reference  to  my  letter,  printed  by  order  of  the  House  in  1830,  accompanied  by  dia- 
grams of  explanation,  the  reasons  upon  which  this  part  of  the  plan  was  based  will  be  seen. 

Sound  being  subject  to  the  same  general  laws  which  govern  light,  viz.  radiating  from  a 
centre  every  way  from  its  original  source,  and  subject  to  reflection  and  refraction,  it  fol- 
lows, that,  in  the  construction  of  a  room  for  speaking  or  hearing  to  the  best  advantage, 
the  form  should  be  such  as  to  give  the  greatest  number  of  consonant  echoes,  or,  in  other- 
words,  that  as  few  of  the  rays  of  sound  (or  reflections  of  the  voice)  should  cross  each  other 
as  practicable.  Now  the  circular  form  is  that  best  adapted  to  produce  the  fewest  dissonant 
echoes,  and  to  give  the  most  distinct  sound  of  what  is  spoken. 

The  second  error,  which  consists  in  the  too  great  loftiness  of  the  room,  I  have  proposed 
to  remedy  by  raising  the  floor  to  the  general  level  of  that  of  the  prostyle  behind  the  Speaker's 
chair,  or  as  high  as  would  be  consistent  with  propriety,  having  reference  to  the  columns 
encompassing  the  Hall. 

It  is  a  fundamental  principle  in  acoustics,  that,  where  a  room  to  speak  in  (to  be  dis- 
tinctly heard)  is  covered  with  a  domical  or  cylindrical  ceiling,  the  point  describing  the  curve 
line  of  the  same  must  be  below  the  ear  of  the  speaker  or  hearer  ;  and  if  this  point  is  below 
the  floor,  the  ear  will  be  less  sensible  of  the  return  of  the  voice.  If  this  rule  is  not  attended 
to,  and  the  point  describing  the  curve  is  above  the  ear  of  the  speaker,  the  ring  of  echoes  or 
reflected  sounds  from  this  ceiling,  will  cross  each  other  above  the  ear,  and  produce  a  sensible 
echo.  That  the  point  describing  the  dome  of  the  Hall  is  above  the  floor,  is  proved  by  stand- 
ing in  the  axis  and  centre  of  the  plan  of  the  room,  (just  in  front  of  the  clerk's  desk)  and 
stamping  the  foot  or  clapping  the  hands  :  for  a  distinct  repetition  of  the  original  sound  will 
be  heard. 

The  Rotunda  of  the  Capitol  exhibits  a  striking  example  of  the  truth  of  this  position. 
Any  attempt  to  speak  in  this  room,  results  in  the  utter  confusion  of  the  voice,  simply  because 
the  point  which  describes  the  dome  is  elevated  so  high,  (being  on  the  top  of  the  great  cor- 
nice, that  the  rays  of  sound  striking  the  dome  are  reflected,  and  (as  soon  as  they  pass  the 
cornice  level)  cross  each  other,  and  then  are  subject  again  to  reflection  from  the  walls,  so 
that  by  the  time  they  reach  the  ear,  the  original  sound  is  broken  and  scattered  in  various 
directions,  striking  the  ear  at  sensible  moments  of  time. 

Could  we  elevate  ourselves  so  as  to  stand  on  a  level  with  the  cornice  or  spring  of  the 
dome,  and  there  speak,  the  voice  would  be  found  distinct,  strong,  and  clear.  At  this  level, 
were  a  light  enclosure  constructed,  this  dome  would  be  one  of  the  most  perfect  whispering 
galleries  in  the  world,  equal  to  that  of  St.  Paul's,  London,  famed  in  the  annals  of  travellers. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  we  should  be  deprived  of  witnessing  so  great  a  curiosity  as  this 
splendid  expanse  of  dome  presents,  and  which  is  so  well  calculated  to  develop  the  theory  of 
sound,  when  it  is  in  our  power  to  enjoy  it  by  the  construction  of  a  simple  balustrading,  or 
enclosed  walk,  around  the  circle  on  the  top  of  the  great  cornice,  and  opening  a  communica- 
tion with  it  through  one  of  the  stair-ways  above  : — permit  me  to  call  the  attention  of  the 
committee  to  this  interesting  subject. 

I  come  now  to  the  third  fundamental  error  in  the  plan  of  the  Hall,  namely,  the  location 
of  the  Speaker  s  chair,  and  consequently  those  of  the  members. 

From  the  facts  and  reasonings  previously  stated  and  referred  to,  it  will  readily  be  seen, 
by  examining  the  plan,  that  the  Speaker's  chair  is  exactly  in  the  reversed  position  to  where  it 
ought  to  stand.  If  it  is  true  that  a  circular  surface  of  wall  is  better  adapted  for  the  trans- 
mission of  sound  than  the  straight  surface,  which  cannot  be  doubted,  except  we  will  not 


Appendix  285 

receive  the  testimony  of  ancient  and  modern  practice  in  the  construction  of  rooms,  expressly 
designed  for  public  speaking,  for  these  invariably  are  found  to  assume  the  circular  form  ; 
therefore,  if  this  circular  line  is  broken  in  any  way,  a  proportionate  defect  arises  in  the 
capacity  of  the  room  to  support  the  voice  and  convey  it  distinctly  to  the  ear ;  and  it  also 
follows,  that,  in  speaking,  the  direction  of  the  voice  should  be  towards  the  circular  surface, 
and  not  the  straight.  If  we  refer  to  the  position  of  the  speakers  in  theatres,  we  will  find 
that  they  all  speak  to  the  circle ;  and  if  we  examine  the  Legislative  Hall  of  France,  (which 
we  have  said  was  of  a  similar  form  to  our  Hall,)  we  will  find  that  the  orator  speaks  to  the 
circle*  the  tribune  from  whence  he  speaks  being  located  expressly  to  meet  this  necessity.  The 
evidence  of  the  fact  that  the  speakers  should  speak  to  the  circle,  is  to  be  found  in  our  own 
Hall,  for  it  is  only  when  they  do  this  that  the  voice  is  comparatively  distinctly  heard  ;  and  it 
is  well  known  that  little  or  no  difficulty  occurs  in  hearing  what  is  said  from  the  chair,  or 
from  the  clerk's  desk.  These  facts  are  sufficient  to  satisfy  us  of  the  propriety  and  advantage 
of  reversing  the  present  arrangement  of  the  Speaker's  chair  and  member's  seat,  so  that  the 
latter  should  front  the  circle.  Independent  of  the  benefit  which  would  result  to  hearer  and 
speaker  by  doing  this,  there  would  be  other  advantages  gained,  namely  :  getting  rid  of  the 
disagreeable  effect  of  the  light  shining  into  the  eyes,  and  almost  blinding  the  vision.  Every 
one  is  sensible  of  this  on  entering  the  Hall,  and  must  be  satisfied  that  it  is  an  evil.  Again  : 
The  members  will  front  the  audience,  which  certainly  is  most  agreeable  to  those  who  address 
the  Chair :  this  House  being  the  popular  branch  of  the  Legislature,  the  people  would  wish 
to  hear  what  is  said  by  their  representatives. 

The  different  experiments  which  have  been  made  at  different  times  to  rectify  the  evils 
complained  of  in  the  Hall,  go  to  prove  the  correctness  of  the  principles  herein  advocated  on 
the  conveyance  of  sound,  ist.  The  introduction  of  draperies  between  the  columns  tended  to 
shut  out,  in  a  great  degree,  the  return  of  the  voice  from  the  walls  behind,  which  was  favor- 
able, as  the  echoes  from  the  surfaces  are  mostly  what  are  termed  dissonant,  or  reaching  the 
ear  at  different  periods  of  time.  These  curtains  being  of  an  unelastic  substance,  destroyed 
or  deadened  the  sound. 

Though  this  plan  effected  a  partial  remedy  of  the  evil  complained  of,  it  was  at  a 
sacrifice  of  so  much  surface  of  wall,  which,  under  a  different  form,  would  have  tended  to 
increase  the  strength  and  distinct  utterance  of  the  voice.  2d.  The  spreading  of  the  canvass 
cloth  over  the  whole  Hall,  so  as  to  shut  off  the  reflections  of  the  voice  from  the  dome,  went 
to  prove  the  importance  of  this  form  of  ceiling  to  hearer  and  speaker  ;  for  as  long  as  this 
cloth  canopy  existed,  it  so  completely  (as  in  the  case  of  the  draperies)  absorbed  the  sound 
of  the  voice,  that  it  could  scarcely  be  heard  ;  and,  further,  it  went  to  prove  that  were  &jlat 
ceiling  to  take  its  place,  the  evil  complained  of,  instead  of  being  remedied,  would  be  increased. 
To  say  nothing  of  the  serious  injury  in  point  of  beauty,  which  the  Hall  would  sustain  were 
a -flat  ceiling  to  supercede  the  present  domical  one,  there  would  be  a  positive  reduction  in  the 
powers  of  this  ceiling  to  sustain  the  voice,  for  this  simple  reason,  that,  in  the  place  of  a 
ring  of  consonant  echoes  which  the  present  ceiling  can  be  made  capable  of  giving,  there 
would  be  but  one  reflected  from  the  flat  ceiling,  and,  consequently,  the  voice  would  lose  its 
support  in  the  ratio  of  the  difference  in  the  number  of  consonant  echoes.  It  has  been  well, 
therefore,  that  the  Hall  has  escaped  being  disfigured  by  such  an  useless  canopy.  The 
members,  when  in  their  seats,  have,  no  doubt,  sometimes  been  startled  by  the  sudden  sound 
of  a  voice  as  from  one  close  by,  and  been  astonished  when  they  looked  for  the  speaker  to  find 
him  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  room.  The  secret  of  this  phenomenon  lies  in  the  domical 
ceiling,  and  the  mathematician  would  be  able  to  trace  the  person  speaking  (among  several 
speakers)  by  calling  to  mind  that  principle  in  acoustics  which  determines  the  angle  of 
incidence  to  be  equal  to  the  angle  of  reflection.  Now,  this  fact  goes  to  confirm  the  truth  of 
the  doctrine  we  have  endeavored  to  establish,  namely,  that  sound  is  transmitted  like  light  in 
straight  lines,  and  not  in  tindulatory  lines.  In  further  proof  of  this,  certain  points  might 
be  selected  for  both  speaker  and  hearer  in  the  Hall,  where  the  whole  force  of  the  speaker's 
voice  would  fall  on  the  ear  of  the  hearer  ;  and  these  points  could  be  calculated  with  mathe- 
matical precision.  Let  any  member,  whilst  another  is  addressing  the  House,  walk  along  the 
inner  side  of  the  prostyle  just  behind  the  columns,  and  he  will  reach  a  point  in  that  line 
where  his  ear  will  be  arrested  by  a  powerful  impulse  of  the  speaker's  voice.  Now,  let  him 
draw  a  line  so  as  to  strike  the  circular  surface  of  the  dome  or  wall  at  any  point,  and  observe 
the  angle,  and  then  draw  another  line  from  thence  to  the  speaker,  and  he  will  find  that  the 
two  angles  (the  angle  of  incidence  and  reflection)  will  be  equal. 


a86  Appendix 

The  third  experiment,  which  filled  up  the  space  between  the  columns  of  the  prostyle, 
went  to  prove  that  not  even  reducing  the  space  of  the  room,  and  giving  a  close  flat  surface 
to  this  portion  of  it,  benefitted  the  hearing  any.  Sound  travels  with  great  rapidity,  (1,142 
feet  in  a  second  of  time,)  and  it  is  not  always  the  smallest  rooms  that  are  the  best  to 
hear  and  speak  in.  It  must  be  recollected  that  it  is  not  the  size  but  the  form  of  the  room 
that  constitutes  it  a  good  or  bad  speaking  and  hearing  room.  I  could  construct- a  room  which 
should  hold  five  or  ten  thousand  persons,  in  which  the  voice  in  a  common  tone,  would  be  dis- 
tinctly heard  at  the  most  distant  points  in  it.  I  have  already  had  a  room  built  which  has  held 
four  thousand  persons,  where  every  word  of  the  speaker  was  as  well  heard  at  the  extreme 
distance  as  immediately  near.  I  could  take  the  Rotunda,  which  is  now  a  perfect  Babel  of 
sounds,  and  make  it  as  perfect  a  speaking  room  as  there  is  in  the  world. 

I  shall  now  close  by  giving  a  brief  description  of  the  drawings  herewith  submitted. 

Plan  No.  I  exhibits  the  Hall  as  it  now  is,  with  the  seats  and  desks  of  the  members,  and 
the  Speaker's  chair,  in  the  position  they  now  hold. 

Plan  No.  2  exhibits  the  Hall  as  proposed  to  be  arranged,  with  a  view  to  realize  the  bene- 
fits promised  thereby,  not  only  increasing  the  facilities  of  hearing  and  speaking,  but  adding 
to  the  comfortable  accommodation  of  the  House,  providing  ample  space  for  any  increase  of 
members,  even  to  the  number  300,  and  retaining  all  the  desks  with  the  seats. 

Associated  with  this  plan,  it  is  proposed,  1st,  to  make  a  change  in  the  space  under 
the  galleries,  taking  in  one  portion  of  this  space  on  each  side  of  the  Hall,  for  the  use  of  the 
House,  as  private  lobbies  or  conference  rooms.  Opening  the  space  between  the  columns 
into  these  rooms,  so  as  to  get  the  benefit  of  the  large  windows  here,  and  thus  adding  much 
to  the  comfort  of  the  Hall  both  in  respect  to  light  and  air. 

It  will  be  seen  that,  by  a  new  arrangement  of  the  remaining  space,  and  making  a  stair 
way  up  into  the  angular  spaces  above,  more  useful  accommodations  will  be  afforded  than 
are  now  had. 

ad.  For  the  better  lighting  of  the  Hall,  it  is  proposed  to  open  all  the  attic  windows  to 
the  south  under  the  prostyle,  (now  closed  up). 

3d.  Some  accommodations  for  lady  visitors  have  been  desired  in  galleries  appropriated 
for  their  use,  separated  from  the  common  galleries,  and  having  private  or  distinct  entrances 
to  the  same.  This  plan  contemplates  making  such  a  provision,  by  dividing  off  a  portion  at 
each  end  of  the  present  galleries,  and  either  using  the  stair  ways  that  now  lead  to  these 
galleries,  at  the  south  end  of  the  building,  or  constructing  new  stair-ways  upon  a  more 
enlarged  scale,  which  may  be  constituted  the  principal  entrances  into  the  Hall. 

The  present  entrance  into  the  Hall  does  not  comport  with  the  dignity  of  the  room,  as 
it  is  both  dark  and  circuitous.  The  ample  space  within  the  projecting  blocks  against  which 
the  galleries  terminate,  allows  two  grand  stair-cases  to  be  constructed  which  would  be  well 
lighted,  and,  opening  into  the  private  lobbies  of  the  House,  would  be  a  great  convenience 
to  the  members. 

All  which  is  respectfully  submitted  by,  gentlemen,  yours,  &c. 

ROBERT    MILLS. 

The  Hon,  the  Committee  of  Public  Buildings. 


Extracts  from  the  Report  of  Architect  Mills  to  the  Committee  on  Public  Buildings,  May 
I,  1850,  respecting  plans  for  Extensions  never  executed.  Reported  to  the  Senate  by 
Mr.  Hunter,  May  2Sth. 

Mr.  L.  [Latrobe]  was  fully  justified  in  selecting  the  horse-shoe  or  semicircular  form  for 
the  new  hall,  from  the  fact  that  when  the  French  Chamber  of  Deputies  resolved  upon  the 
erection  of  a  new  hall  for  debate,  they  appointed  a  committee  composed  of  the  most  celebrated 
architects  of  France  to  inquire  into  the  subject,  and  report  upon  the  best  form  of  a  room 
for  legislative  business;  and  who  after  ^examining  the  largest  rooms  in  Paris,  and  the  most 
celebrated  buildings  of  antiquity,  unanimously  recommended  the  horse-shoe  or  semicircular 
form,  surmounted  by  a  very  flat  dome  ;  which  was  accordingly  executed,  and  has  given 
every  satisfaction.  As  I  have  stated  before,  the  hall  of  the  Chamber  of  Deputies  is  said  to 
be  one  of  the  finest  speaking  and  hearing  rooms  known.  But  the  Chamber  of  Deputies 
was  so  plain  a  room  that  Mr.  L.,  no  doubt,  thought  from  the  success  of  the  lastjiall  he 


Appendix  287 

built,  (the  elliptical,)  which  was  enriched  by  a  splendid  colonnade  circling  the  room,  that  he 
might  circle  this  new  hall  also  with  a  similar  colonnade  ;  but  at  the  result  he  must  have 
been  disappointed,  if  he  ever  saw  the  room  after  it  was  occupied  by  the  House — lor  Mr.  L. 
settled  in  New  Orleans,  where  he  deceased  soon  after,  to  the  great  loss  of  the  profession. 

I  have  given  the  elliptical  form  to  the  new  hall  of  the  House,  which  is  that  adopted  for 
the  hall  erected  for  the  first  Congress,  which  sat  in  Washington  in  1800.  This  room  was 
found  so  favorable  for  the  action  of  the  voice  in  speaking  and  hearing,  that,  when  the 
permanent  hall  (the  first  being  but  a  temporary  building)  was  ordered  to  be  erected,  Mr. 
Jefferson,  who  was  charged  with  the  selection  of  the  plan,  chose  the  same  form  for  the  new 
hall;  and  it  was  accordingly  erected  and  finished  in  this  general  form. 


ENTOMBMENT   AND   STATUE   OF   WASHINGTON. 

On  Motion  of  Mr.  Mitchell  of  Md.,  the  House  resolved  on  February  22,  1830 : 

That  the  following  resolutions  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  unanimously 
adopted  on  the  23d  December,  1799,  and  the  message  of  President  Adams,  of  the  8th 
January,  1800,*  to  Congress,  respecting  the  entombment  of  the  remains  of  General  George 
Washington  in  this  Capitol,  be  referred  to  a  select  committee,  and  that  the  said  committee 
be  authorized  to  report  by  bill  or  otherwise. 

Mr.  Mitchell,  as  Chairman  of  this  Committee,  made  a  report  which  said  : 

COMMITTEE  ROOM,  March  2,  1830. 

The  committee  met,  and  after  mature  consideration  it  was  Resolved,  That  the 
chairman  appoint  a  sub-committee,  to  consider  and  report  to  the  select  committee  . 

Sub-committee,  Mr.  •  Burges,  Mr.  Drayton,  Mr.  Johnson,  of  Kentucky,  and  Mr. 
Mitchell. 

March  2j(A,  1830. 

The  Sub-Committee  made  to  the  Select  Committee  the  following  report :  Committee 
Room  of  the  Committee  on  the  Post  Office  and  Post  Roads, 

MARCH  13,  1830. 

The  Sub-committee  met  agreeable  to  appointment. 

The  Committee  called  on  the  Commissioner  of  the  Public  Buildings  to  give  them 
information  respecting  the  vault  heretofore  provided  for  the  entombment  of  General  George 
Washington,  under  the  central  dome  of  the  Capitol.  His  report  will  be  found  hereunto 
annexed.  The  committee  thereupon,  after  a  free  conversation,  and  a  full  interchange  of 
ideas  on  this  interesting  subject,  directed  Mr.  Burges  to  draw  up  a  report  of  their  delibera- 
tions thereon,  to  belaid  before  the  whole  committee  appointed  by  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, on  the  22d  day  of  February,  1830  ;  and  thereupon  adjourned  until  the  lyth  of  March 
instant,  to  meet  in  this  place,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  said  report,  preparatory  to  laying 
the  same  before  said  whole  committee. 

MARCH  17,  1830. 

The  Sub-committee  met  according  to  adjournment. 
Mr.  Burges  submitted  the  following 

REPORT : 

Although  our  country  itself,  and  the  history  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived,  are  filled  with 
testimonials  of  the  eminent  services  and  high  character  of  Washington,  yet  will  it  be  found 
that  the  American  People  have  ever  cherished  the  intention  of  consecrating  to  him  some 
peculiar  monumental  memorials,  to  the  intent  that  after  times  may  perceive  that  the  nation 
which  was  established  by  his  valor  and  guided  by  liis  counsels  could  never  cease  to  cherish 
his  memory  and  venerate  his  character.  The  Continental  Congress, 

*  These  papers  arc  embodied  in  the  report  of  the  Committee. 
18 


288  Appendix 


Thursday,  August  7,  1783. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  A.  Lee,  seconded  by  Mr.  Bland, 

Resolved,  (unanimously,  ten  States  being  present,)  That  an  equestrian  statue  of  General 
Washington  be  erected  at  the  place  where  the  residence  of  Congress  shall  be  established. 

On  the  report  of  a  committee,  consisting  of  Mr.  A.  Lee,  Mr.  Ellsworth,  and  Mr.  Mif- 
flin,  appointed  to  prepare  a  plan  of  an  equestrian  statue  of  the  Commander-in-chief, 

Resolved,  That  the  statue  be  of  bronze,  the  General  to  be  represented  in  a  Roman 
dress,  holding  a  truncheon  in  his  right  hand,  and  his  head  encircled  with  a  laurel  wreath. 
The  statue  to  be  supported  by  a  marble  pedestal,  on  which  are  to  be  represented,  in  basso 
relievo,  the  following  principal  events  of  the  war,  in  which  General  Washington  commanded 
in  person,  viz  :  the  evacuation  of  Boston  ;  the  capture  of  the  Hessians  at  Trenton  ;  the 
battle  of  Princeton  ;  the  action  of  Monmouth  ;  and  the  surrender  of  York.  On  the  upper 
part  of  the  front  of  the  pedestal  to  be  engraved  as  follows  :  The  United  States,  in  Congress 
assembled,  ordered  this  statue  to  be  erected,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1783,  in  honor  of 
George  Washington,  the  illustrious  Commander-in-chief  of  the  armies  of  the  United  States 
of  America  during  the  war  which  vindicated  and  secured  their  liberty,  sovereignty,  and 
independence. 

Resolved,  That  a  statue  conformable  to  the  above  plan  be  executed  by  the  best  artist 
in  Europe,  under  the  superintendence  of  the  Minister  oif  the  United  States  at  the  court  of 
Versailles  ;  and  that  money  to  defray  the  expense  of  the  same  be  furnished  from  the  Treas- 
ury of  the  United  States. 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretary  of  Congress  transmit  to  the  Minister  of  the  United1 
States  at  the  Court  of  Versailles  the  best  resemblance  of  General  Washington  that  can  be 
procured,  for  the  purpose  of  having  the  above  statue  erected  ;  together  with  the  fittest 
description  of  the  events  which  are  to  be  the  subject  of  the  basso  relievo. 

It  will  not  be  expected  that  the  committee  shall  make  any  inquiry  concerning  the 
causes  which  may  have  prevented  carrying  these  resolutions  into  effect.  While  the  illus- 
trious object  of  them  lived,  and,  as  a  citizen  or  statesman,  was  disclosing  to  the  nation  and 
the  world  a  character,  if  possible,  more  endeared  and  illustrious  than  that  achieved  by  him 
as  the  first  captain  of  the  age,  it  would  not  have  been  singular  if  public  opinion  had  changed, 
and  the  whole  nation  should  question  the  appropriateness  of  consecrating  to  Washington 
such  monumental  honors  as  belong  exclusively  to  the  distinguished  soldier. 

When  that  event  which  finishes  the  formation  of  human  character  arrived,  and  the 
death  of  Washington  made  every  dwelling-place  in  the  land  a  house  of  mourning,  the 
Senators  and  Representatives  of  these  United  States,  in  Congress  assembled,  did,  in 
accordance  with  national  feelings,  and  in  honor  of  the  mighty  dead,  pass  the  following,, 
among  other  resolutions  : 

MONDAY,  DECEMBER  23,  1799. 

It  was  resolved,  That  the  House  do  unanimously  agree  to  the  following  resolutions,  to 
wit : 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States  of  America 
in  Congress  assembled,  That  a  marble  monument  be  erected  by  the  United  States  in  the 
Capitol  at  the  city  of  Washington  ;  and  that  the  family  of  General  Washington  be  requested 
to  permit  his  body  to  be  deposited  under  it  ;  and  that  the  monument  be  so  designed  as  to 
commemorate  the  great  events  of  his  military  and  political  life. 

And  be  it  further  resolved,  That  there  be  a  funeral  procession  from  Congress  hall  to 
the  German  Lutheran  church,  in  honor  of  the  memory  of  General  George  Washington,  on 
Thursday,  the  26th  instant  ;  and  that  an  oration  be  prepared  at  the  request  of  Congress,  to 
be  delivered  before  both  Houses  on  that  day  ;  and  that  the  President  of  the  Senate  and 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  be  desired  to  request  one  of  the  members  of  Con- 
gress to  prepare  and  deliver  the  same. 

And  be  it  further  resolved,  That  it  be  recommended  to  the  people  of  the  United  States 
to  wear' crape  on  the  left  arm  as  mourning  for  thirty  days. 

And  be  it  further  resolved,  That  the  President  of  the  United  States  be  requested  to 
direct  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  to  be  transmitted  to  Mrs.  Washington,  assuring  her  of  the 
profound  respect  Congress  will  ever  bear  to  her  person  and  character,  of  their  condolence 


Appendix  289 

on  the  late  afflicting  dispensation  of  Providence,  and  entreating  her  assent  to  the  interment 
of  the  remains  of  General  George  Washington  in  the  manner  expressed  in  the  first  resolution. 

And  be  it  further  resolved,  That  the  President  of  the  United  States  be  requested  to 
issue  a  proclamation,  notifying  to  the  people  throughout  the  United  States  the  recommen- 
dation contained  in  the  third  resolution. 

[The  foregoing  resolutions  were  sent  to  the  Senate,  and  received  their  concurrence  the 
same  day.] 

On  the  8th  of  January,  1800,  the  following  message  was  received  from  the  President 
by  both  Houses  of  Congress  : 

Gentlemen  of  the  Senate,  and 

Gentlemen  of  the  House  of  Representatives  : 

In  compliance  with  the  request  in  one  of  the  resolutions  of  Congress  of  the  2ist  of 
December  last,  I  transmitted  a  copy  of  those  resolutions,  by  my  Secretary,  Mr.  Shaw,  to 
Mrs.  Washington,  assuring  her  of  the  profound  respect  Congress  will  ever  bear  to  her 
person  and  character,  of  their  condolence  in  the  late  afflicting  dispensation  of  Providence, 
and  entreating  her  assent  to  the  interment  of  the  remains  of  General  George  Washington  in 
the  manner  expressed  in  the  first  resolution.  As  the  sentiments  of  that  virtuous  lady,  not 
less  beloved  by  this  nation  than  she  is  at  present  greatly  afflicted,  can  never  be  so  well 
expressed  as  in  her  own  words,  I  transmit  to  Congress  her  original  letter. 

It  would  be  an  attempt  of  too  much  delicacy  to  make  any  comments  upon  it ;  but  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  the  nation  at  large,  as  well  as  all  the  branches  of  the  Government, 
will  be  highly  gratified  by  any  arrangement  which  may  diminish  the  sacrifice  she  makes  of 
her  individual  feelings. 

JOHN   ADAMS. 

The  letter  referred  to  in  the  above  message  is  as  follows  : 

MOUNT  VERNON,  Dec.  31,  1799. 

SIR  :  While  I  feel,  with  keenest  anguish,  the  late  dispensation  of  Divine  Providence,  I 
cannot  be  insensible  to  the  mournful  tributes  of  respect  and  veneration  which  are  paid  to  the 
memory  of  my  dear  deceased  husband  ;  and  as  his  best  services  and  most  anxious  wishes 
were  always  devoted  to  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  his  country,  to  know  that  they  were 
truly  appreciated,  and  gratefully  remembered,  affords  no  inconsiderable  consolation. 

Taught  by  that  great  example  which  I  have  so  long  had  before  me  never  to  oppose  my 
private  wishes  to  the  public  will,  I  must  consent  to  the  request  made  by  Congress,  which 
you  have  had  the  goodness  to  transmit  to  me  ;  and,  in  doing  this,  I  need  not,  I  cannot  say, 
what  a  sacrifice  of  individual  feeling  I  make  to  a  sense  of  public  duty. 

With  grateful  acknowledgments,  and  unfeigned  thanks  for  the  personal  respect  and 
evidences  of  condolence  expressed  by  Congress  and  yourself, 

I  remain,  very  respectfully,  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

MARTHA  WASHINGTON. 

THURSDAY,  8th  MAY,  1800. 

Mr.  Henry  Lee  made  a  further  report ;  which  was  read,  and  ordered  to  be  committed 
to  a  Committee  of  the  Whole  House  to-day. 

The  House,  according  to  the  order  of  the  day,  resolved  itself  into  a  Committee  of  the 
Whole  House  on  the  report*  of  the  committee  ;  and,  after  some  time  spent  therein,  Mr. 

This  report  recommended  the  adoption  of  the  following  resolutions: 

*  Resolved,  That  the  resolution  of  Congress  passed  in  the  year  1783,  respecting  an  equestrian  statue 
of  General  Washington,  be  carried  into  immediate  execution,  and  that  the  statue  be  placed  in  the  centre 
of  an  area  to  be  formed  in  front  of  the  Capitol. 

Resolved,  That  a  marble  monument  be  erected  by  the  United  States  in  the  Capitol  at  the  City  of 
Washington,  in  honor  of  General  Washington  to  commemorate  his  services,  and  to  express  the  regret* 
of  the  Americanpeople  for  their  irreparalili 

Resolved,  That  the  President  of  the  United  States  be  requested  to  give  such  directions  as  may 
appear  to  him  proper  to  carry  the  preceding  resolutions  into  effect ;  and  that  for  the  present  the  sum  of 
$100,000  be  appropriated  for  these  purposes. 


290  Appendix 

Speaker  resumed  the  chair,  and  Mr.  Parker  reported  that  the  committee  had,  according  to 
order,  had  the  said  report  under  consideration,  and  come  to  a  resolution  thereupon,  which  he 
delivered  in  at  the  Clerk's  table  ;  where  the  same  was  twice  read,  amended,  and  agreed  to  by 
the  House,  as  follows  : 

"Resolved,  That  a  mausoleum  be  erected  for  George  Washington  in  the  City  of 
Washington."  * 

The  committee  have,  in  discharge  of  the  important  duties  devolved  on  them  by  the 
House,  been  furnished  with  the  following  letters  : 

No.  i. 

ARLINGTON  HOUSE,  z"jtk  February,  1830. 

SIR  :  I  perceive  with  the  most  sincere  gratification,  that  the  House  of  Representatives 
have  appointed  a  committee  to  report  .upon  a  national  interment  of  the  venerated  remains  of 
Washington. 

Permit  me  to  offer  to  your  notice,  and  through  you,  sir,  to  that  of  the  honorable  com- 
mittee charged  with  this  interesting  subject,  certain  facts  touching  the  consent  of  Mrs. 
Washington  to  the  removal  of  the  remains  of  the  Chief,  in  1799. 

Mrs.  Washington  yielded  to  the  request  of  Government  only  in  the  firm  and  fond  belief, 
that,  upon  her  decease,  her  remains  would  be  permitted  to  rest  by  the  side  of  those  of  her 
beloved  husband  ;  and,  in  a  correspondence,  strictly  private  and  confidential,  which  occurred 
between  Colonel  Lear,  on  the  part  of  the  bereaved  lady,  and  the  first  President  Adams, 
touching  this  subject,  the  venerable  and  afflicted  relict  was  given  to  understand  that  Govern- 
ment could  do  no  other  than  comply  with  her  just  and  honored  expectations. 

In  this  belief,  Mrs.  Washington  directed  that,  upon  her  decease,  her  remains  should 
be  enclosed  in  a  leaden  coffin,  precisely  similar  to  the  one  containing  the  ashes  of  her  illus- 
trious consort,  which  command  has  been  obeyed  to  the  letter. 

I  beg  leave,  sir,  to  submit  to  the  honorable  committee  the  copy  of  a  letter  addressed  to 
the  Hon.  John  Quincy  Adams,  Ex-President  of  the  United  States,  with  its  answer  ;  also,  a 
copy  of  a  letter  from  Major  Lawrence  Lewis,  the  nephew  of  General  Washington,  and  sole 
acting  executor  of  his  will. 

In  making  these  communications,  permit  me  to  observe,  sir,  that  I  have  done  no  more 
than  filial  duty  required  at  my  hands.  It  is  left  for  Government  to  determine  whether  the 

*  The  bill  itself,  providing  "That  a  mausaleum  of  American  granite  and  marble,  in  a  pyramidal 
form,  one  hundred  feet  square  at  the  base,  and  of  a  proportionate  height,  shall  be  erected,  in  testincony 
of  the  love  and  gratitude  of  the  citizens  of  the  United  States,  to  George  Washington,"  was  considered 
by  the  Committee  of  the  Whole  in  the  House  on  December  5,  1800.  Mr.  Alston  moved  that  the  ironu- 
ment  be  of  marble  and  erected  irt  the  Capitol.  During  the  debate,  Mr.  Macon  remarked:  "  We  are  told 
that  the  best  mode  of  perpetuating  the  memory  of  Washington  is  to  erect  a  mausaleum.  I  have  heard 
of  Aristides,  I  have  heard  of  Hampden,  but  I  have  never  heard  of  monuments  raised  to  their  memories. 
Yet  their  virtues  shine  as  bright  now  as  they  did  when  they  lived.  I  have  heard  of  a  place  called  West- 
minster Abbey,  lull  of  the  monuments  of  Kings  ;  yet,  notwithstanding  these  grand  memorials,  I  have 
heard  very  little  of  them  after  they  left  this  world." 

The  bill  was  further  considered  on  the  loth,  when  Mr.  Claiborne  sajd  that  he  preferred  "  a  plain  but 
neat  tomb-stone  of  American  marble,  and  prepared  by  an  American  artist "  ;  and  wished  to  see  engraved 
upon  it  the  addresses  of  each  House  to  the  President,  and  his  reply,  when  first  they  received  the  announce- 
ment of  the  loss  of  their  patriot,  sage  and  hero.  On  the  igth,  Mr.  Lee  made  the  following  report : 

The  Committee  to  whom  was  committed  the  bill,  directing  the  erection  of  a  mausoleum  to  George 
Washington,  together  with  the  resolve  of  Congress,  passed  the  7th.  of  August,  1783,  ordering  an  eques- 
trian statue  of  bronze  to  be  erected  to  George  Washington ;  and  also  a  resolution  of  Congress,  of  the 
24th.  day  of  December,  1799,  directing  that  a  marble  monument  be  erected  in  the  Capitol,  in  the  city  of 
Washington,  have  had  the  same  under  consideration  ;  and  while  they  recognize  with  entire  co-operation 
the  highly  gratifying  testimonial  of  the  national  estimation  of  their  commander-in-chief,  cannot  but  con- 
sider it  as  an  incomplete  exemplification  of  the  national  feeling  at  this  day,  it  having  in  view  only  the 
celebration  of  his  military  services.  To  connect  with  this  the  erection  of  an  appropriate  monument  in 
the  dome  of  the  Capitol,  on  a  scale  commensurate  with  the  virtue  and  ability  of  the  character  thus  held 
up  as  a  model  to  all  future  generations,  would  fulfil  the  general  expectation  and  complete  the  prof essions 
of  Congress.  But  from  the  most  accurate  inquiry  they  have  been  able  to  make,  your  committee  are  of 
opinion,  the  expense  attending  the  accomplishment  of  the  two  resolutions  would  exceed  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars. 

They  cannot,  therefore,  but  recommend  an  adherence  to  the  plan  heretofore  adopted  by  the  House, 
combining  as  it  does  every  object,  and  that,  too,  at  an  expense  not  exceeding  the  sum  necessary  for  an 
equestrian  statue  and  marble  monument,  and  to  be  erected  by  American  artists  out  of  American  materials. 

The  bill  passed  the  House  on  January  i,  r8oi ;  but.  when  it  finally  came  to  the  Senate,  after  various 
amendments,  its  consideration  was  postponed,  on  March  3d,  by  a  vote  of  14  to  13. 


Appendix  291 


remains  of  those  who  were  endeared  to  each  other  by  forty  years  of  happy  and  eventful  life, 
shall  become  separate  in  the  lasting  repose  of  the  tomb. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

With  perfect  respect. 

Your  obedient  humble  servant, 

GEORGE  W.  P.  CUSTIS. 
To  the  Hon.  GEORGE  E.  MITCHELL,  Esq. 

Chairman  of  Committee,  <5rV.  <5rV.  &*c. 

No.  2. 

ARLINGTON  HOUSE,  2c,th  Feb.  1820. 

DEAR  SIR  :  I  perceive  with  much  pleasure,  and  truly  much  surprise,  that  Government, 
after  the  lapse  of  thirty  years,  has  at  last  determined  to  give  national  rites  of  sepulture  to 
the  venerated  remains  of  Washington,  thus  enabling  his  country  to  declare,  in  the  words  of 
the  divine  bard, 

"  Such  honors  Ilion  to  her  Hero  paid  ! 

"  And  peaceful  sleeps  the  mighty  Hector'.s  shade." 

In  1799,  when  Mrs.  Washington,  yielding  to  the  request  of  Congress,  gave  her  consent 
for  the  removal  of  the  remains  of  the  Chief,  a  correspondence  occurred  between  Col.  Lear, 
on  the  part  of  the  bereaved  lady,  and  your  venerable  parent,  the  late  President  Adams,  in 
which  the  Colonel  urged  that  the  consent  of  Mrs.  Washington  had  only  been  obtained  upon 
an  understanding,  that,  on  the  decease  of  the  afflicted  relict,  her  remains  should  be  con- 
signed to  the  same  sepulchre  as  should  be  provided  by  Government  for  those  of  her  beloved 
husband.  I  always  understood  from  Col.  Lear,  that  the  letters  of  President  Adams  assured 
Mrs.  Washington  that  a  request  so  just  and  honored  as  was  hers,  to  be  interred  by  the  side 
of  her  illustrious  consort,  would  meet  with  no  objections  from  Government. 

If,  sir,  in  the  course  of  your  examinations  of  the  papers  of  the  late  President  Adams, 
you  shall  have  met  with  any  documents  touching  this  interesting  subject,  will  you  have  the 
kindness  to  forward  copies  of  the  same  to  the  honorable  committee  charged  with  reporting 
on  the  national  interment  of  the  remains  of  Washington. 

With  great  respect, 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  dear  sir, 

Your  obedient  humble  servant, 

GEORGE  W.  P.  CUSTIS. 
The  Hon.  JOHN  QUINCY  ADAMS. 

No.  3. 

WASHINGTON,  February  26,  1830. 
G.  W.  P.  CUSTIS,  Esq.,  Arlington  House. 

DEAR  SIR  :  I  find  among  my  father's  manuscripts  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  him  to  your 
venerated  grandmother,  dated  27th  December,  1799,  purporting  to  enclose,  by  William 
Smith  Shaw,  a  copy  of  the  resolutions  of  Congress,  passed  on  the  24th  of  that  month,  and 
entreating  her  assent  to  the  interment  of  the  remains  of  General  Washington  under  the 
marble  monument  to  be  erected  in  the  Capitol,  at  the  City  of  Washington,  to  commemorate 
the  great  events  of  his  military  and  political  life. 

The  answer  to  this  letter  is  not  among  my  father's  papers  here.  It  was  transmitted  by 
him  to  Congress,  with  a  message,  dated  8th  January,  1800,  which  is  upon  the  Journals  of 
both  Houses  on  that  day.  There  is  in  the  message  itself  an  intimation,  expressing,  as  I 
understand  it,  my  father's  opinion,  all  that  he  could  give,  upon  the  subject  to  which  your 
letter  refers.  I  find  no  second  letter  from  him,  nor  any  paper  showing  that  any  thing 
further  had  passed  between  them  on  this  occasion.  I  cannot  imagine  that  there  should  be 
any  question  among  those  who  incline  to  perform  the  promise  of  Congress  at  all,  in  what 
manner  they  ought  to  perform  it. 

The  request  of  Congress  was  not  that  one-half  of  General  Washington's  remains  should 
be  transferred  to  the  Capitol. 

I  am,  dear  sir,  respectfully, 

Your  friend, 

JOHN   QUINCY   ADAMS. 


«92        .  Appendix 

No.  4. 

WOOD  LAWN,  February  24,  1830. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  :  I  observe  the  resolutions  of  Congress,  of  the  23d  December,  1799, 
and  the  message  of  President  Adams,  of  the  8th  January,  1800,  respecting  the  entombment 
in  the  Capitol  of  the  remains  of  General  Washington,  are,  by  a  resolution  of  Mr.  Mitchell, 
again  before  Congress. 

Mr.  Hayner  stated,  that,  in  order  to  obviate  any  objection  which  might  possibly  arise, 
he  would  inform  the  House  he  was  authorized  to  state,  that  the  resolution,  if  adopted,  could 
be  carried  into  effect  without  any  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  family  of  General  Washington. 

Nothing  is  said  of  the  remains  of  Mrs.  Washington  ;  assuredly  they  do  not  mean  to 
separate  the  bodies. 

These  resolutions  will  be  submitted  to  a  Select  Committee  of  one  member  from  each 
State   in  the   Union.     I   think  this   committee    ought  to  be  informed  that  the  family  of 
Washington  will  not  consent  to  a  separation  of  the  bodies.     I  am  sure  your  venerable  grand 
parent  expressed  her  views  and  wishes  on  this  subject  to  President  Adams. 
I  am,  my  dear  sir,  truly  and  sincerely, 

Yours, 

LAWRENCE   LEWIS. 
To  GEORGE  W.  P.  CUSTIS,  Esq.  of  Arlington. 

It  thus  appears  that  the  family  of  General  George  Washington  have  consented,  and  now 
expect,  that  his  remains,  united  with  those  of  his  beloved  consort,  may  be  entombed  in  the 
city  distinguished  by  his  name  ;  and  that  the  American  people  do  intend  to  erect  and  con- 
secrate to  his  memory  some  monumental  memorials,  appropriate  to  the  endeared  and  vene- 
rated character  of  the  illustrious  Father  of  his  Country.  The  sub-committee  do,  therefore, 
after  full  advisement,  and  the  most  mature  consideration,  recommend  that  it  be, 

Resolved,  That  the  leaden  coffin,  containing  the  remains  of  General  George  Washington, 
be  removed  from  the  family  vault  at  Mount  Vernon,  and  that  the  same  be  deposited  in  a 
marble  sarcophagus,  and  entombed  in  the  vault  heretofore  prepared  for  that  purpose,  under 
the  central  dome  of  the  Capitol  ;  that  building,  erected  by  the  people  for  the  accommodation 
of  their  Government,  being  the  most  appropriate  mausoleum  for  the  great  founder  of  it. 
The  remains  of  Mrs.  Washington,  now  united  with  those  of  her  illustrious  consort  in  the 
repose  of  the  tomb,  shall  at  the  same  time  be  removed,  and  being  deposited  in  another 
marble  sarcophagus,  shajl  be  entombed  by  his  side  in  the  same  national  sepulchre.  On  the 
lid  of  each  sarcophagus  shall  be  inscribed  the  name,  day  of  the  birth,  death,  and  entombment 
of  each,  respectively.  Immediately  over  the  centre  of  this  tomb,  and  on  the  ground  floor 
of  the  Capitol,  shall  be  placed  a  marble  cenotaph,  in  the  form  of  a  well  proportioned  sar- 
cophagus, on  the  lid  of  which  shall  be  sculptured,  in  large  letters,  the  name,  day  of  the  birth, 
death,  place  and  day  of  entombment,  of  that  illustrious  man.  Immediately  above  this,  in 
the  centre  of  the  Rotundo,  a  full  length  marble  pedestrian  statue  of  Washington,  wrought  by 
the  best  artist  of  the  present  time,  shall  be  placed  on  a  circular  pedestal,  formed  from  the 
same  material,  of  such  width  and  height,  being  not  less  than  four  feet,  as  will  be  propor- 
tionate to  the  dimensions  of  that  appartment.  This  pedestal  shall  be  finished  in  the  most 
perfect  style  of  workmanship,  but  without  the  ornament  of  any  device,  either  of  emblem  or 
legend,  other  than  the  name  of  George  Washington,  to  whose  memory  this  monument  is 
consecrated. 

Your  committee  believe  that  these  memorials,  little  costly  and  ostentatious  as  they  may 
appear,  will  better  accord  with  the  feelings  of  this  nation,  and  more  appropriately  com- 
memorate the  pure  and  elevated  character  of  our  Washington,  than  could  any,  the  most 
expensive  or  splendid  monument  or  mausoleum.  When  it  is  kept  in  mind  that,  although 
this  age  has  produced  the  greatest  statesman  and  captains  known  in  all  history,  yet  the  high 
characters  of  those  who  have  arisen  in  the  world,  either  before  or  since  his  time,  do  but 
illustrate  and  render  more  eminent  the  distinguishing  qualities  of  his  worth  and  glory  ;  so 
that  the  American  people  can  never  be  deprived  of  the  most  revered  and  enduring  monu- 
ments of  this  venerated  man,  so  long  as  they  shall  continue  to  cherish  and  preserve  their 
Independence,  Government,  and  National  Union,  achieved  by  his  toil,  valor,  and  wisdom. 

For  the  Sub-committee. 

TRISTAM    BURGES. 


Appendix  293 

The  report  of  the  sub-committee  being  read  and  considered,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  the  select  committee  do  approve  of  and  adopt  the  said  report  ;  and  that 

their  Chairman  be  directed  to  report  the  same  to  the  House  of  Representatives,  with  the 

following  resolutions  conformable  thereto,  viz  : 

Joint  resolutions  providing  for  the  national  entombment  of  the  remains  of  General  George 
Washington,  and  for  a  pedestrian  statue  of  that  General. 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States  of  America 
in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  remains  of  General  George  Washington  be  removed,  with 
suitable  funeral  honors,  from  the  family  vault  at  Mount  Vernon,  conducted  under  the 
direction  of  a  joint  committee  of  both  Houses  of  Congress,  on  the  day  of  December 
next,  and  entombed  in  the  national  sepulchre  to  be  prepared  for  that  purpose  under  the 
centre  dome  of  the  Capitol  in  the  city  of  Washington,  according  to  a  plan  recommended  by 
a  report  of  a  select  committee,  made  to  the  House  of  Representatives  on  the  day  of 
March,  1830. 

And  be  it  further  resolved,  That  the  remains  of  Mrs.  Martha  Washington,  consort  of 
the  late  General  George  Washington,  shall  at  the  same  time  be  removed,  and  entombed  in 
the  same  sepulchre. 

And  be  it  further  resolved,  That  a  full  length  pedestrian  statue  of  General  George 
Washington  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby,  ordered  to  be  obtained,  to  be  executed  by  some 
distinguished  artist,  and  of  the  best  materials  ;  and  said  statue,  when  executed,  shall  be 
placed  in  the  centre  of  the  rotundo  of  the  Capitol,  conformably  to  the  plan  recommended  in 
the  report  of  a  committee  herein  before  mentioned  :  and  the  President  shall  be,  and  he  is 
hereby,  authorized  and  requested  to  direct  the  execution  of  the  said  statue,  with  a  suitable 
pedestal  of  the  same  material,  and  to  cause  the  same  to  be  placed  in  the  place  herein  desig- 
nated. 

And  be  it  further  resolved,  That  the  sum  of  dollars  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby, 

appropriated,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  these  resolutions  into  effect. 


Copy  Journal  of  House  of  Representatives  February  24,  1832. 

WASHINGTON,  Feby  24th  1832 

To  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States  : 

One  of  his  associates  not  having  arrived  at  Washington,  and  the  other  having  declined 
to  act ;  in  performance  of  the  honorable  trust  confided  to  us  by  the  Governor  of  Virginia, 
the  undersigned  takes  upon  himself  the  honor  to  transmit  to  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  of  the  United  States,  the  envelope  directed  to  him  by  the  Governor  of  Vir- 
ginia, covering  the  resolutions  of  the  General  Assembly,  laying  claim  to  the  remains  of  our 
illustrious  fellow-citizen,  George  Washington  ;  also,  covering  a  letter  from  the  Governor  of 
Virginia  accompanying  the  resolutions  ;  and,  in  the  discharge  of  this  duty,  he  takes  leave 
to  remark,  that,  whilst  the  people  of  Virginia  are  proud  of  the  gratitude  of  their  fellow- 
citizens  of  the  United  States  for  the  eminent  public  services  of  the  Father  of  his  Country  ; 
and,  also,  for  their  high  admiration  of  his  patriotic  virtues  manifested  by  the  successive 
resolutions  of  Congress  ;  they  also  justly  anticipate  the  frank  acquiescence  of  their  fellow- 
citizens  of  the  United  States  in  the  paramount  claim  of  his  Native  State  to  the  sacred  remains 
of  her  Washington. 

FRANCIS  T.  BROOKE. 

Virginia. 

EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT,  February  20,  1832. 
To  ANDREW  STEVENSON,  Esq., 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States  : 

Sir:  The  Honorable  Francis  T.  Hrooke,  Chief  Justice  John  Marshall,  and  Mayor 
James  Gibbon,  the  friends  and  brother  officers  of  Washington  in  the  war  of  the  revolution, 
are  the  bearers  of  this  communication,  and  of  the  resolutions  adopted  by  the  General 


294  Appendix 


Assembly  of  this  State  expressive  of  their  feelings,  and  those  of  the  citizens  of  this  Common- 
wealth, with  regard  to  the  contemplated  removal  of  the  remains  of  Washington  from  Mount 
Vernon  by  the  Congress  of  the  United  States. 

Agreeably  to  the  wish  of  the  General  Assembly,  I  have  the  honor  to  request  you  to 
receive  and  lay  the  resolutions  of  that  body  before  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
United  States. 

I  am,  Sir,  with  consideration  and  respect, 

Your  Obedient  Servant, 

JOHN  FLOYD. 

The  General  Assembly  of  Virginia  view,  with  anxious  solicitude,  the  efforts  now  mak- 
ing by  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  to  remove  from  Mount  Vernon  the  remains  of 
George  Washington.  Such  removal  is  not  necessary  to  perpetuate  the  fame  of  him  who 
was  "  first  in  war  and  first  in  peace,"  nor  can  it  be  necessary  to  perpetuate  and  strengthen 
the  national  gratitude  for  him  who  was  "  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen." 

The  fact  that  Virginia  has  been  the  birth-place  of  the  best  and  most  illustrious  man 
that  ever  lived,  is  naturally  calculated  to  inspire  her  citizens  with  a  strong  desire  to  keep  his 
remains  enshrined  in  the  land  of  his  nativity  ;  and  this  desire  is  increased  by  the  considera- 
tion that  the  burial  ground  was  designated  by  the  dying  patriot  himself  :  Therefore, 

Resolved  Unanimously,  That  the  proprietor  be  earnestly  requested,  in  the  name  of 
the  people  of  this  State,  not  to  consent  to  the  removal  of  the  remains  of  George  Washington 
from  Mount  Vernon. 

Resolved  Unanimously,  That  the  Governor  of  this  Commonwealth  forthwith  make 
known  the  feelings  and  wishes  of  the  General  Assembly  upon  the  subject,  in  the  most 
appropriate  manner,  to  the  present  proprietor  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States. 

Agreed  to  by  both  Houses,  February  20,  1832. 

GEORGE  W.  MUNFORD  C.  H.  D. 


Copy  Journal  of  Senate  February  16,  1832. 

WASHINGTON,  February  14,  1832. 

Sir  :  The  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  have  passed  a  joint  resolution  to  cele- 
brate the  centennial  birth  day  of  George  Washington,  which  authorizes  the  President  of  the 
Senate  and  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  to  make  application  to  you  for  his 
remains,  to  be  removed  and  deposited  in  the  Capitol  at  Washington,  in  conformity  with  the 
resolution  of  Congress  of  the  24*  December,  1799. 

They  have  passed  another  joint  resolution,  authorizing  us  to  make  application  to  you 
and  Mr.  George  Washington  Parke  Custis  for  the  remains  of  Martha  Washington,  to  be 
removed  and  deposited  at  the  same  time  with  those  of  her  late  consort,  George  Washington. 
We  herewith  enclose  copies  of  these  resolutions,  and,  in  the  discharge  of  the  duty  im- 
posed on  us,  have  to  request  that  you  will  give  as  early  an  answer  to  this  application  as  may 
be  practicable. 

We  have  the  honor  to  be, 

With  great  respect, 

Your  Obedient  Servants, 

J.  C.  CALHOUN, 
Vice  President,  and  President  of  the  Senate. 

A.  STEVENSON, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
MR.  JOHN  A.  WASHINGTON, 

MOUNT  VERNON. 

WASHINGTON,  February  14*  1832. 

Sir  :  The  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  have  passed  a  joint  resolution  author- 
izing the  President  of  the  Senate  and  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  to  ask  the 
consent  of  Mr.  John  A.  Washington  and  yourself  to  remove  the  remains  of  Mrs.  Martha 


Appendix  295 

Washington  to  the  City  of   Washington,  on   the  22d  instant  to  be  there  deposited  with 
those  of  her  consort,  George  Washington. 

\Ve  herewith  enclose  copies  of  these  resolutions,  and,  in  the  discharge  of  the  duty 
imposed  on  us,  have  to  request  that  you  will  give  as  early  an  answer  to  this  application  as 
may  be  practicable. 

We  have  the  honor  to  be, 

With  great  respect, 

Your  Obedient  Servants, 

J.  C.  CALHOUN, 
Vice  President  and  President  of  the  Senate, 

A.  STEVENSON, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
MR.  GEO.  W.  P.  CUSTIS. 


MOUNT  VKKNON,  February  15,  1832. 
To  the  Hon.  The  President  of.  the  Senate, 

And  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  U.  S. 

Gentlemen  :  I  have  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter,  and  the  resolutions  of 
Congress  to  carry  into  complete  effect  that  which  was  adopted  in  December,  1799,  for  the 
removal  of  the  remains  of  General  Washington  to  the  Seat  of  Government. 

I  have  received  with  profound  sensibility  this  expression  of  the  desire  of  Congress, 
representing  the  whole  nation,  to  have  the  custody  and  care  of  the  remains  of  my  revered 
relative  ;  and  the  struggle  which  it  has  produced  in  my  mind  between  a  sense  of  duty  to 
the  highest  authorities  of  my  Country  and  private  feelings,  has  been  greatly  embarrassing. 
But  when  I  recollect  that  his  will,  in  respect  to  the  disposition  of  his  remains,  has  been 
recently  carried  into  full  effect,  and  that  they  now  repose  in  perfect  tranquility  surrounded 
by  those  of  other  endeared  members  of  the  family,  I  hope  Congress  will  do  justice  to  the 
motives  which  seem  to  me  to  require  that  I  should  not  consent  to  their  separation. 

I  pray  you,  gentlemen,  to  communicate  these  sentiments  and  feelings  to  Congress,  with 
the  grateful  acknowledgments  of  the  whole  of  the  relatives  of  my  grand-uncle  for  the  dis- 
tinguished honor  which  was  intended  to  his  memory,  and  to  accept  for  yourselves  assurances 
of  my  gratitude  and  esteem. 

JOHN  A.  WASHINGTON. 


ARLINGTON  HOUSE,  Tuesday  Night,  Feb.   14. 

Gentlemen  :  The  letter  you  have  done  me  the  honor  to  write  to  me,  requesting  my  con- 
sent to  the  removal  of  the  remains  of  my  venerable  grand  parents  from  their  present  resting 
place  to  the  Capitol,  I  have  this  moment  received. 

I  give  my  most  hearty  consent  to  the  removal  of  the  remains,  after  the  manner  requested, 
and  congratulate  the  Government  upon  the  approaching  consumation  of  a  great  act  of  Na- 
tional gratitude. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

With  perfect  respect,  gentlemen, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

GEORGE  WASHINGTON  P.  CUSTIS. 
To  the  HON.  J.  C.  CALHOUN, 

Vice  President,  and 
ANDREW  STEVENSON, 

Speaker  H.  R.   U.  S. 


296 


Appendix 


THE   BASEMENT   OF   THE   CAPITOL. 


HOUSE  WING. 

Room. 

1.  Committee  on  Invalid  Pensions. 

2.  Committee  on  Insular  Affairs. 

3.  Committee  on  Agriculture. 

4.  Stationery  room. 

5.  Committee  on  War  Claims. 

6.  Official  stenographers  to  committees. 

7.  8.    Official  Reporters  of  Debates. 

'•  [•  Speaker's  private  rooms. 

11.  Committee  on  Library. 

12.  Office  of  Sergeant-at-Arms. 

13.  House  Post-Office. 

'3±-  *.  Committee  on  the  Post-Office  and  Post-Roads. 

14.  ) 

15.  Clerk's  document  room. 
i5J.  Barber  shops. 

16.  Closets. 

17.  Box  room. 

18.  19,  20.    Restaurant. 

21.  Merged  in  restaurant. 

22.  Committee  on  Indian  Affairs. 

23.  Committee  on  Accounts. 

24.  Committee  on  War  Claims. 

25.  Elevators. 

HOUSE    COMMITTEES.     TERRACE,    SOUTH 
SIDE. 

1.  Committee  on  Alcoholic  Liquor  Traffic. 

2.  Committee  on  the  Merchant  Marine  and  Fisher- 

ies. 

3.  Committee  on  Expenditures  in-  the  Agricultural 

Department. 

5.    Committee  on  Mines  and  Mining. 
<>.    Committee  on  Immigration  and  Naturalization. 
7.    Committee  on  the  Election  of  President,  Vice- 
president  and  Representatives  in  Congress. 
9.    Committee  on  Irrigation  of  Arid  Lands  in  the 

United  States. 

ii.    Committee  on  Expenditures  on  Public  Buildings. 
13.    Committee  on  Manufactures. 
15.    Committee  on  Elections  No.  3. 
17.    Committee  on  Expenditures  in  the  Post-Office 

Department. 

NOTE.— Rooms  occupied  by  the  House  Committees 
on  Reform  in  the  Civil  Service,  Levees  and  Improve- 
ments of  Mississippi  River,  Expenditures  in  the  De- 


partment of  Justice,  Expenditures  in  the  Navy  De- 
partment, Territories,  also  Office  of  Index  Clerk,  are 
not  shown  on  the  diagrams.  They  are  located  in  the 
sub-basement,  west  front,  on  the  house  side  of  center 
of  building. 

MAIN   BUILDING. 
Room. 

49.  Senate  Committee  on  the  Census. 

50.  Senate  Committee  on  the  Library. 

51.  Senate  Committee  on  Education  and  Labor. 

52.  House  Committee  on  Labor. 

53.  House  Committee  on  the  Census. 

54;  [-  House  Committee  on  Rivers  and  Harbors. 

55.  House  Committee  on  Education. 

56.  House  Committee  on  Revision  of  the  Laws. 

57.  House  Committee  on  Ventilation  and  Acoustics. 

59.  Senate  Committee  on  Pacific  Railroads. 

60.  Senate  Committee  on  Additional  Accommoda- 

tions for  the  Library  of  Congress. 

61.  Storeroom  for  Library. 

62.  Storeroom,  Supreme  Court. 

63.  Senate  bathroom. 

64.  65.    The  Supreme  Court— consultation  room. 

66.  Congressional   Law  Library,  formerly  the  Su- 

preme Court  room. 

67.  Congressional  Law  Library. 

,s     j  Office  of  Doorkeeper  of  the  House. 

)  Office  of  superintendent  of  folding  room. 

69.  House  Committee  on  Private  Land  Claims. 

70.  Offices  of  the  Chief  Clerk  of  the  House. 

71.  Committee  on  Printing. 

72.  House  Committee  on  Expenditures  in  the  Inte- 

rior Department. 

73.  House  Committee  on  Militia. 

74.  Committee  room  on  Alcoholic  Liquor  Traffic 

merged  in  the  Disbursing  office. 


SENATE  WING. 

Committee  on  Rules. 
Committee  on  the  Revision  of  the  Laws. 
Committee  on  Relations  with  Cuba. 
Committee  on  Military  Affairs. 
Committee  on  the  Philippines. 

j-  Committee  on  the  Judiciary. 

Committee  on  Indian  Affairs. 
Stationery  room. 


Appendix 


297 


Room. 

36.  Restaurant. 

37.  Stationery  room. 

38.  Committee  on  Public  Lands. 

39.  Police  Headquarters. 

40.  Committee  on  Immigration. 

41.  Committee  on  Territories. 

42.  Ladies'  room. 
42}.  Janitor's  room. 

43.  Committee  on  Agriculture. 

44.  Committee  on  Relations  with  Canada. 

*!'  f  Committee  on  Post-Offices  and  Post-Roads. 

47.  Senate  Post-Office. 

48.  Committee  on  Printing. 

49.  Elevator. 

51.  Gentlemen's  room. 


SENATE  COMMITTEES. 
TERRACE,  NORTH  SIDE. 
Room. 

3.    Mines  and  Mining. 
3.    On  Potomac  River  Front. 
4,  6.  Irrigation  and  Reclamation  of  Arid  Lands. 
5.    On  Coast  Defenses. 
9.    Industrial  Expositions, 
n.     Indian  Depredations. 

13.    To  Examine  the  Several  Branches  of  the  Civil 
Service. 

NOTB. — Rooms  occupied  by  Senate  Committees  on 
Transportation  and  Sale  of  Meat  Products,  and  Five 
Civilized  Tribes  of  Indians  are  not  shown  on  the 
diagrams.  They  are  located  in  the  sub-basement, 
west  front,  on  the  Senate  side  of  center  building. 


THE   PRINCIPAL  FLOOR   OF   THE   CAPITOL. 


Room. 


HOUSE  WING. 


8.  > 


V  Appropriations. 

Journal,  printing  and  file  clerks  of  the  House. 

Committee  on  Pensions. 

Closets. 

Members'  retiring  room. 

'«. 

Speaker  s  room. 

Cloakrooms. 
!•  Committee  on  Ways  and  Means. 

Committee  on  Military  Affairs. 

House  Library. 

Elevators. 

{•  Committee  on  Naval  Affairs. 
) 

Committee  on  the  District  of  Columbia. 
Committee  on  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds. 
Committee  on  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Centen- 

nial. 

Committee  on  Patents. 

Committee  on    Expenditures  in  the  Treasury 
Department. 


n- 

34- 


MAIN  BUILDING. 

House  document  room. 

Engrossing  and  enrolling  clerks  of  the  House. 


Room. 

35.  Committee  on  Enrolled  Bills. 

36.  Office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representa- 

tives. 'It  was  in  this  room,  then  occupied  by 
the  Speaker  of  the  House,  that  ex-President 
John  Quincy  Adams  died,  two  days  after  he 
fell  at  his  seat  in  the  House,  February  23, 
1848. 

37.  Office  of  'he  Clerk  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

38.  Robing  room  of  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme 

Court. 

39.  Withdrawing  room  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

40.  Office  of  the  Marshal  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

41  '  j-  Committee  on  Pensions. 

43.  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations. 

44.  Committee  on  Pacific  Islands  and  Porto  Rico. 
Committee  on  Enrolled  Bills. 


r  Committee  on  Interoceanic  Canals. 


The  Supreme  Court,  formerly  the  Senate 
Chamber. 

The  Old  Hall  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives is  now  used  as  a  statuary  hall,  to  which 
each  State  has  been  invited  to  contribute  two 
statues  of  its  most  distinguished  citizens. 

SENATE  WING. 

16.  Office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate. 

17.  Executive  clerk  of  the  Senate. 

18.  Financial  clerk  of  the  Senate. 


Appendix 


Room. 

19.  Chief  Clerk  of  the  Senate. 

20.  Engrossing  and  enrolling  clerks  of  the  Senate. 

**'  >  Committee  on  Appropriations. 

23.  Closets. 

24.  Cloakrooms. 

25.  Room  of  the  President. 

26.  The  Senators'  reception  room. 


Room. 

27.  The  Vice-President's  room. 

28.  Committee  on  Finance. 

29.  Official  Reporters  of  Debates. 

30.  Public  reception  room. 

31.  Committee  on  the  District  of  Columbia. 

32.  Office  of  the  Sergeant-at-Arms  of  the  Senate. 

33.  Elevator. 


THE   GALLERY   STORY   OF    THE   CAPITOL. 


HOUSE  WING. 
Room. 

i.    Committee  on  Elections  No.  2. 
»-    Committee  on  Elections. 

Committee  on  Banking  and  Currency. 

Committee  on  Claims. 

Committee  on  Railways  and  Canals. 


3- 
4- 

6.  Lobby. 

7.  Correspondents    and    journalists'  withdrawing 

8. 

9. 


room. 
8-  j-  Water-closet. 

10.  Ladies1  retiring  room. 

11.  Committee  on  the  Public  Lands. 

12.  Committee  on  Commerce. 

13.  Committee  on  Foreign  Affairs. 

14.  Committee  on  the  Judiciary. 

15.  Elevators. 

39.  Committee  on  Mileage. 

40.  Committee  on  Pacific  Railroads. 

41.  Minority  room. 

*2'  >•  Committee  on  Coinage,  Weights  and  Measures. 

44.  Committee  on  Expdt.  in  the  State  Department. 

45.  Committee  on  Expdt.  in  the  War  Department. 

MAIN  BUILDING. 

27.  Senate  Library. 

28.  Senate  Library — Librarian's  room. 

29.  Senate   Committee  on  Public  Health  and  Na- 

tional Quarantine. 

30.  Senate  Committee  on  Woman  Suffrage. 
31-  ) 

32.  >  Senate  document  room. 
33-i 


Room. 

34.  Superintendent  of  the  Senate  documents. 

35.  House  Library. 

3     j-  House  document  room. 

38.    Clerk's  office. 

40.  Senate  document  room. 

41.  Committee  on  Transportation  Routes  to  Sea- 

board. 

42.  Committee  on  Improvement  of  the  Mississippi 

River  and  its  Tributaries. 

43.  Committee  on  Private  Land  Claims. 

44.  Committee  on  Geological  Survey. 

45.  Committee  on  Railroads. 

46.  I  Committee  on  Organization,  Conduct  and  Ex- 

47.  j     penditures  of  "the  Executive  Departments. 


SENATE  WING. 

Committee  on  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds. 
>•  Committee  on  Interstate  Commerce. 

Committee  on  Privileges  and  Elections. 
f  Committee  on  Commerce. 

Press  associations :   Western  Union  and  Postal 

Telegraphs. 

Newspaper  Correspondents'  room. 
Ladies'  room. 

Committee  on  Naval  Affairs. 
Conference  room  of  the  minority. 
Committee  on  Claims. 
Committee  on  Engrossed  Bills. 
Elevator. 
Correspondents'  room. 


Acoustics,  227 

Adams,  John,  portrait  of,  157 
Adams,  J.  Q.  A.,  bust  of,  236 
death  of,  224 
election  of,  220 

Adams,  Samuel,  statue  of,  232 
Agriculture,  Committee  on,  192 
Allen,  Ethan,  statue  of,  229 
Allen,  William,  statue  of,  229 


Baker,  speech  of,  178 
statue  of,  234 

Baptism  of  Pocahontas,  122,  131 

Battle  of  Chapultepec,  158 

Battle  of  Lake  Erie,  168 

Bedford,  portrait  of,  209 

Benton  and  Foote,  quarrel  of,  147 

Booth,  79 

Bronze  doors,  Rogers',  90 
Senate,  164 
House,  213 

Brumidi,  95,  182,  192 

Bulfinch,  44 

Burning  of  the  Capitol,  1814,  33 

Busts  of  Chief  Justices,  143 


Calhoun,  farewell  to  Senate,  148 

funeral  of,  151 

portrait  of,  171 

California  landscape  (Bierstadt),  203 
Camp  Life  at  the  Capitol,  242 
Campus,  74 
Canopy,  96 
Capitals,  Americanized-Corinthian,  164 

Corinthian,  56,  235 

"  Corncob,"  185 

Doric,  188 

Ionic,  140 

Latrobe,  237 

semi-Corinth'an,  191 

Tobacco,  140 
Capitol,  east  front,  ii 
west  front,  71 


Capitol,  1807,  27 
1814,  34 
1828,  49 
1850,  51 

Carroll,  portrait  of,  209 
Cass,  statue  of,  229 
Centennial  Celebration,  1893,  84 
Centennial  Tea  Celebration,  259 
Ceres,  statue  of,  89 
Chase,  Chief  Justice,  funeral  of,  180 
Chasm  of  the  Colorado  (Moran),  171 
Christian  Endeavor  Celebration,  84 
Clark,  68,  137 
Clay,  farewell  of,  149 
funeral  of,  151 
portrait  of,  in  House;  209 
portrait  of,  in  Senate,  171 
Clinton,  statue  of,  230 
Clock,  House,  201 

Statuary  Hall,  228,  261 
Collamer,  statue  of,  229 
Congress,  first  meeting  of,  in  Washington,  24 

rules,  etc.,  249 

Consultation  room  of  justices,  184 
Corner-stone  of  extensions,  53 

of  Federal  District,  7 
of  Capitol,  22 
Court  of  Claims,  190 
Coxey's  army,  79 
Crawford,  bust  of,  230 
Crypt,  188 

D 

Declaration  of  Independence,  102,  HO 
Dewey  at  the  Capitol,  238,  239 
Discovery  (Tersico),  89 
Discovery  of  the  Hudson,  203 
Discovery  of  the  Mississippi,  121,  127 
District  of  Columbia,  Committee  on,  167 
establishment  of,  2 
Dix,  portrait  of,  176 
Dome,  60 

entrance  and  view,  62 

E 

Electoral  Commission    171 
Electoral  count,  208 
Ellicott,  10 


Index 


Embarkation  of  the  Pilgrims,  n8 
Emory,  Matthew  G.,  54 
Extensions,  marble,  51 


First  Fight  of  Ironclads,  175 

Flags,  61 

Floor,  privilege  of,  250 

Foote,  Benton  and,  quarrel  of,  147 

Franklin,  statue  of,  167 

Fresco,  96 

Frieze,  98 

Fulton,  statue  of,  229 

G 

Garfield,  memorial  exercises  of,  207 

mosaic  of,  176 

remains  in  state,  126 

statue  of,  229 

Tea  Party,  259    • 
Garland,  death  of,  238 
Giddings,  portrait  of,  235 
Goddess  of  Freedom,  64 
Grand  Canon  of   the  Yellowstone  (Moran) 

171 

Greene,  statue  of,  229 
Guiteau,  79 

H 

Hadfield,  18 
Hallet,  15 

Hamilton,  statue  of,  230 
Hancock,  statue  of,  157 
Heating,  258 

Henry,  Joseph,  memorial  exercises  of,  207 
Henry,  Patrick,  portrait  of,  157 
Hoban,  21 
Hospital,  256 
House  Chamber,  199,  205 

uses  of,  250 

House,  places  of  meeting,  26,  27,  28,  38,  39, 
40,  59 

I 

Impeachment  of  Belknap,  179 

of  Samuel  Chase,  146 
of  Johnson,  179 
of  Pickering,  146 
Inaugurations,  80 

of  Arthur,  161 

of  Fillmore,  220 

of  Jefferson,  144 

of  Madison,  220 

of  Monroe,  220 

of  McKinley,  239 

J 

Jackson,  attempted  assassination  of,  223 
Jay,  portrait  of,  155 


Jefferson,  election  of,  by  House,  26 
library  of,  135 
portrait  of,  157 
statues  of,  213,  234 

Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court,  142 

K 

Kalakaua,  reception  of,  160 
Kearney,  statue  of,  230 
King,  statue  of,  232 
Kosciuszko,  bust  of,  235 
Kossuth,  reception  of,  253 


Lafayette,  picture  of,  203 

reception  of,  253 
Landing  of  Columbus,  121,  123 
Latrobe,  27 
L'Enfant,  7 
Librarians,  138 
Library,  Congressional,  134 

Law,  185 
Lighting,  258 
Lincoln,  bust  of,  230 

memorial  exercises  of,  206 

mosaic  of,  176 

remains  in  state,  126 

statue  of,  230 
Liquor  at  the  Capitol,  256 
Livingston,  statue  of,  234 
Logan,  remains  in  state,  130 

M 

Mace,  Great,  216 
Madison,  Mrs.,  letter  of ,  34 
Marble  room,  160 
Marquette,  statue  of,  230 
Mars,  statue  of,  89 
Marshall,  statue  of,  73 

picture  of,  199 
McKinley,  in  state,  240 

memorial  of,  248 

Military  Affairs,  Committee  on,  183 
Morse,  memorial  exercises  of,  206 

painting  of  old  House  of  Represent* 
atives,  221 

telegraph  of,  191 
Muhlenberg,  statue  of,  228 

N 
National  Art  and  Industrial  Exposition,  260 

P 

Parking,  50,  86 
Pediment,  central,  87 
Senate,  88 


Index 


301 


Police,  245 

President's  room,  158 

Princes  at  the  Capitol,  244 

Prison,  243 

Proclamation  of  Emancipation,  90Q 

Public  reception  room,  163 

Pulawski,  bust  of,  235 


Recall  of  Columbus,  169 
Relievos,  122 

Remains  in  state  in  rotunda,  126 
Rescue  (Greenough),  89 
Robing  room  of  the  justices,  153 
Rogers'  bronze  doors,  90 
Rotunda,  94 


Senate  Chamber,  176 

uses  of,  250 
Senate,   places  of   meeting,  26,   32,  38,  39, 

40,  59 

Sherman,  statue  of,  228 
Shields,  statue  of,  230 
Speaker's  lobby,  194 
Speaker's  room,  194 
Stark,  statue  of,  230 
Statuary,  228 
Statuary  Hall,  218 
Statues,  237 
Stairways,  bronze,  193 
Stevens,  remains  in  state,  126 
Stockton,  statue  of,  230 
Sumner,  assault  upon,  152 
funeral  of,  181 
portrait  of,  176 

Superintendent  of  the  Capitol,  240,  241 
Supreme  Court,  141 
Supreme  Court  chamber,  140,  143 

former  chamber,  186 

Surrender  of  General  Burgoyne,  106,  113 
Surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis,  no,  114 


Tablet,  Centennial,  85 

Taulbee-Kincaid  affair,  217 

Terrace,  67 

Thornton,  15,  21 

Trumbull,  John,  paintings  of,  101 

Trumbull,  Jonathan,  statue  of,  228 


Vice-President's  room,  160 


W 


Waite,  funeral  of,  207 
Walter,  52 

Washington,  headquarters  of  (Brumidi),  204 
painting   of   (Charles   Willson 

Peale),  181 

painting  of  (Vanderlyn),  202 
portrait  of  (Rembrandt  Peale), 

5,  160 

portrait  of  (Stuart),  157 
statue  of  (Greenough),  74 
statue  of  (Houdon),  232 
tomb  and  statue  of,  188 
Resigning     his    Commission, 

114,  117 
Webster,  farewell  of ,  151 

oration  at    laying  of  corner-stone, 

55 

portrait  of,  171 
statue  of,  230 
West,  portrait  of,  190 

memorial  from  sons  of,  273 
Westward   the  Course   of  Empire  takes  its 

Way,  195 

Williams,  statue  of,  230 
Wilson,  death  of,  161 
Winthrop,  statue  of,  230 
Woods,  Elliott,  240,  241 


312638 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


